Broken Butterfly
by Yuki-mu
Summary: STORY ON PERMANENT HIATUS. REWRITE SCHEDULED FOR POSTING IN 2014* The Ouran Host Club already had a dog, Haruhi Fujioka. But, along came Yuki who stumbled into Music Room 3, and into some teacups. Now, she's ready to shake the Host Club to the core, for better and for worse. How will she affect all of their lives forever? Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran or any of its bits and pieces.
1. Chapter 1

Some Things Were Meant to be Broken

All I Wanted was a Guitar

"Ouran Academy", I whispered to myself as I read the shimmering golden sign. I took my first step through the gate. This was the morning of the day I'd been waiting for. "Prove to everyone that I could get here: Check. Now I have to prove to them that I can handle it." _That_ was going to be more difficult than I ever would have anticipated.

School didn't start for another hour and there wasn't a soul in the hallways. So I wandered all alone through the gargantuan buildings, across polished marble floors, and past the huge picture windows. I stopped to watch a flock of doves fly past the window in front of me, and wondered whether Saburo had ever looked out of that same window with that distanced gaze he always had when he was thinking. Maybe it was the view of the courtyard, the birds, or the fact that I was wearing his old school uniform, but I couldn't stop thinking about my brother.

I brushed the thoughts and the stray tear away and continued my stroll down the North Hall of the South Campus. At the end was the biggest set of doors I had ever seen. "Are all the doors here this big?" I asked out loud, studying how the door handle came up to my ribcage. Too high for comfort. I looked up at the sign hanging on the wall near the top of the doors. It read, "Music Room 3". _Maybe they have instruments?,_ I thought, _It_ is _a music room after all._ Hoping they weren't as heavy as they looked, I pushed open the big mahogany doors. "Not too bad."

As I stepped inside, I realized that the big doors signified the huge room beyond them. It was unlike any classroom I had ever been in. All the classrooms I was used to had scuffed floors and grimy windows. This room was polished from floor to ceiling and furnished with couches, chairs, and little tables throughout. _But, why are there no stools or benches? It looks more like a social room than a music room_, I resolved, _and where the hell are all the instruments?_

I walked through the silent room, my footsteps echoing loudly with every step. After searching through cabinets and closets, I finally found a room in the very back. Hidden by a curtain, it looked like it hadn't been used in years. This is where they were hiding the good stuff.

Most of what I found was percussion or brass, the kind of instruments that you would use to preform a symphony, but not the kind of instrument I wanted. I found a pretty violin, but put it to the side in case I found my first choice.

Ten minutes later, underneath a pile of old flute cases, I found the most beautiful instrument of all. I carefully maneuvered out the grey guitar case, or rather– it looked grey due to a thick layer of dust on it, careful not to have the flutes topple over. Piling everything back in, including the violin, I quietly closed the door to the room. It was rather appalling to see that this was how a fancy rich kid school treated their instruments.

I slowly walked to one of the wide windowsills, sat down, and pulled the guitar out of its case. I was shocked, and a bit pleased, to see that the condition of the instrument didn't match the condition of the case. I ran my fingertips over the dark-wood acoustic. It was perfectly tuned and felt like it had never been played. I sat down cross-legged on the sill and laid the guitar over my lap. It was a little big, but I managed well enough.

I started to play, a few chords at first, but then I decided on a song I had written a few years back. It seemed fitting since I'd been missing my brother a lot. So, thinking no one would hear me, I sang:

_"I remember a time,  
When the moon was still around.  
It was way back before my world came crashin' down,  
And I never thought I'd be so young when I saw the night.  
That the moon ran away and he left us on the ground._

_I still remember the day  
When the sun, she fell apart.  
She'd been cryin' all the time because she lost her baby star.  
I never thought I'd be so young when I saw the day,  
That the sun disappeared and you all faded away._

_Can you tell me a story, tell me a story?  
That starts with,"once upon a time"?  
I won't say a word and I'll never get bored.  
If they all live happily ever after."_

I was so engrossed in my song and my own thoughts that I didn't hear the big mahogany doors swing open and a group of attractive high schoolers walk in.

_"I've been looking for you,  
But, I guess you're not around.  
Asked the neighbors and they all said you'd skipped out of town.  
I hate everyday that I think about you.  
But, I'm living your life now.  
There's nothing I can do._

_Can you tell me a story, tell me a story?  
That starts with "once upon a time"?  
I won't say a word and I'll never get bored.  
If they all live happily ever after.  
Can we all live happily ever after?  
Can I just live happily..."_

I finished the song and leaned my head against the window. Slowly but surely small round of applause built up. That's when I realized that I wasn't the only person in the room anymore. My head shot forward and met the faces of seven strikingly handsome and strikingly familiar boys.

I hopped down from the windowsill and walked over to where I had left the guitar case, trying my hardest not to meet any of their eyes. "Sorry, I was just leaving." I ducked my head and scurried toward the door, but a tall blonde boy who looked to be about a second year sauntered up to me.

"Who is this lovely rose that wandered into our club room before hours," he asked. His voice had a twinge of a French accent to it and his blue eyes never left me, "a new student, Princess?"

"Uh, yeah..." I stuttered as I twitched my fingers out of nervous habit. _Why is he being so forward? What's his deal?_ I began inching away from him as he came striding toward me.

"What would you like? Wild? Natural? Boy Lolita? Cool? Mischievous?" _What is he talking about?_ "Or, maybe you'd like to try me?" He whispered busting into my thoughts.

He expertly grabbed me and pulled me close to him, pushing my chin up to his face so I was looking in his eyes and we were almost kissing. I half-squealed, half-screamed and shoved him away from me. The force of the action caused me to trip back, into a small table, and upend a vase full of flowers and a set of ornate teacups. There was nothing to do but watch as they shattered on the floor. Those were not there when I walked in... Were they?

"Aw, look what happened. Those were Ginori," two of the boys wailed in unison. They were twins; auburn hair, looked like first years. Descriptions aside, I knew as well as any rich kid that Ginori didn't run cheap. I stood there dumbfounded, hoping with all my heart that a black hole would come and swallow me up.

"A set of six Ginori teacups, the Ginori tea tray, the vintage vase, a bouquet of flowers, and the crack in the edge of the table add up to about six million yen," started the boy with glasses and black hair. He grinned almost evilly, "You owe us money, Mademoiselle." _He's like a Demon Prince..._

I made a choked noise and willed myself not to cry. _There's no way in hell I'm going to be able to pay that off! Not even in a thousand years!_ Feeling a bit sick and no less than dizzy, I slowly pressed my hand against my mouth. "You can have your family write a check to the Ouran High School Host Club," the boy continued, "whenever is convenient."

_Wonderful! I'll get back to you in the oh-so-convenient AFTERLIFE!_ I was screaming at him in my thoughts, but outwardly did nothing but nod. I lowered my hand away from my mouth. "I'll be right... Back", I muttered as everything went black.

The first thing I noticed when I came around is that I was still on the floor. _How sweet._ Second, was that my bag and all of its contents had been strewn on the floor. The twins, Hikaru and Kaoru as I gathered, were rummaging through the pile. No one had noticed I was awake, so I closed my eyes and did my best to look still-unconscious. _Maybe if I stay like this they'll think I'm in a coma and forget about my debt!_ Not likely.

I was suddenly aware of someone strong carrying me, most likely one of the pretty boys. He laid me down on one of the couches. My curiosity got the better of me so I opened my eyes, trying to make it look like I had just woken up. I sat up too quick and my head swam. _Oh, that's right! I can't act._

"Look, Takashi, Yuki-mu is awake!" a cheery, young-sounding voice said. _Yuki-mu?_

"How do you know about that?" I snapped as I turned to face the little blonde boy. Yuki-mu was a nickname that I thought was crushed along with the rest of my childhood, buried deep in a pile of elementary school memories. Only my best friends call me that, so how does this little kid know about it?

The boy just gazed at me and smiled. "You don't remember us?" He asked, "Isn't that a shame, Usa-chan?" He held up a pink bunny.

"Usa-chan..." I stood up slowly, studying him. Trying to pick him out of some memory in my mind. "H-Honey? Is that you?"

I didn't wait for a response. I flung myself at him in a sort of, attack-hug as he spun me around in circles. "You used to be taller than me, what happened?" I inquired, though Honey was only shorter than me by an inch or two.

"Yuki, you grew up!" He laughed as he spun me right in front of the tallest boy; the one with black hair who had been silent this whole time.

"Yuki," he smiled as he patted my head and tousled my hair.

"Mori!" I cheered and hugged him tight. I couldn't stop laughing, so many old puzzle pieces were falling back into place, and it didn't stop there.

"Oh, so you remember them, but not me?" A voice sounded. I turned around to see the brunette boy, who looked a bit like a girl. He stepped up to me and held out a hand, thumb sticking up. "Do you still remember our handshake? Think back, _Moki-mu_." Bam. That was all I needed to place this boy. Or– girl, rather.

I placed my hand on the other side of hers. We touched our thumbs together then slid our hands along one another's until only our fingertips were touching. We then met our respective fists together and pulled back. This all took place in one fluid motion.

I cheered and hugged her. There was so much hugging that day! "Mika-ru! Oh, Haruhi!" I stepped back from her and looked at her fully; so much had changed! "Why are you dressed like a boy?"

"I could ask you the same question," she muttered.

"Oh, you know me. I'd never wear one of those God awful dresses, not like I can afford one anyway. I'm just wearing Saburo's old uniform," I grinned and tugged on the collar of my boys' jacket, "it's a bit big, but suits me nicely."

"Can someone please explain all of this to us?" Two near-identical voices broke in.

"It _is_ intriguing," Glasses Boy agreed. The blonde one who put the moves on me nodded.

"Can you guys stop talking about me like I'm not here," I yelled, "and why the bloody hell is all of my stuff on the ground?"

A bit of Britain was breaking through my Japanese. I glanced over to see all of my things on the ground, the twins sitting among them.

"I'll answer all of your questions after you pick up all of my stuff." I watched as the twins put everything back in my bag. My wallet, my books, my pencil case, my keys, my MP3 player, an energy drink, a sleeve of crackers, and a handful of crushed flowers my little sisters had given me for "good luck". _Wow, those flowers must work really well, _I thought with bitter sarcasm.

"Thank you," I snipped as one of the twins handed my bag to me, looking a little embarrassed. "Alright," I sighed, "what do you want to know?"


	2. Chapter 2

Some Things Were Meant to be Broken

Questions Answered... Mostly

"Let's start with how you know Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai?" Asked one of the twins. "Yeah, and Haruhi?" The other one added.

"Takashi and I met Yuki-mu in elementary school!" Honey sounded. I nodded in verification. "But, then she left without saying goodbye..." He looked sad.

"Oh, sorry about that..." A wave of guilt washed over me. "Money problems. But, if I hadn't left Ouran I never would have met Haruhi!"

"That's true, but then you left middle school without a trace." Haruhi gave me a questioning look.

"More money problems," I brushed it off, "my family threw all of it down the drain."

"I see," The one who introduced himself as Kyoya said, "since you can't afford a dress, I assume you can't pay off your debts." _Damn it, money totally dominates this guy!_ How is it you can afford to attend school here?"

"A gymnastics scholarship," I said sheepishly. I motioned that they should move out of my way, and I did a running roundoff finished with two front handsprings. Nothing too impressive, but not something everyone was capable of.

"The Last Ninja! It _is_ her, Hikaru!" The twin I now knew was Kaoru whispered in awe. The Last Ninja. Another elementary school nickname.

"Very impressive," Kyoya said, "what shall we do about her, Tamaki?"

The blonde one who had stayed relatively quiet up until now said, "If she can't pay with money she'll pay with her body, just like our other little piggy!"

"_Excuse_ me?" I yelled, "What's this about my body?"

"Starting today, you are the Host Club's dog! Our second dog, that is."

"Oh, okay," I said, relaxing a bit, "But, who's the other 'dog'?" Haruhi stepped forward, rolling her eyes.

"I broke a vase last week and now I owe eight million yen." She shrugged and smiled, "Welcome to the life of an 'audacious commoner'. It's a strange, but nonetheless amusing ride." _Lovely._

"What's up with all of that weird stuff in your bag, like the energy drink and saltines? And, the dead flowers?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked.

"Oh, yeah, thanks for going through my stuff, by the way! I guess you don't need my introduction, but you're getting it anyway. I'm Yuki Muruyama and the drink and crackers are lunch. If I can't afford a proper uniform, why would you think I could afford rich kid lunches?" The twins looked dumbfounded; all of them looked dumbfounded, actually. "The flowers are from my little sisters... For good luck."

Haruhi shot me a look, to which I shot one back, pleading with my eyes to keep her mouth shut. The bell sounded. "Well, come on," Hikaru grabbed one of my arms and one of Haruhi's. "Let's go to class." Kaoru finished and grabbed my other arm. I wormed my way out of their grasp.

"I'm not a first-year. I'm a third year." I grinned and planted my feet.

"Yuki! You're going to be in our class?" Honey asked excitedly, "How?"

"I skipped my first year of high school!" Honey took my hand and ran me toward the door. Mori just shook his head and smiled.

There was so much they still didn't know. Things I hoped they would never know.

**AN: Hey, I know it's a short chapter and things are moving slow, but I left a bit of a hook at the end of the last chapter that I felt needed to be cleared up. Next chapter starts fresh. Thanks, R&R! ~Yuki-mu**


	3. Chapter 3

Some Things Were Meant to be Broken

Home Sweet Home

_The Host Club is stupid. Rich kids are stupid. With their stupid club just to entertain dumb rich girls. Girls flinging themselves at guys. Ugh! This whole day has been stupid. Damn my curiosity, looking for a stupid guitar! _

It had not been my day. Now that I knew what the Host Club was, I wanted nothing to do with it! I couldn't forget, though, that I was indebted to them, so escape was futile.

Classes were simple, just a lot of making up a week of homework, quizes, and tests. I would have started school at the same time as everyone else if I hadn't had that breakdown. The first time I put on my brothers uniform I lost it, rendered completely immobile, nightmares for days. The usual. It was a bad time to take a week off from my medication to get the prescription filled.

In class, I sat between Honey, Mori, and a window. I spent most of class doodling, writing chunks of potential song lyrics, and listening. As long as I was listening, I would be fine. I had an eidetic memory, so I never forgot anything I heard. Songs, voices, and useless information, all stored forever.

Lunch was and adventure. The entier Host Club offered to buy me lunch, thinking I was trying to starve myself. "I didn't have enough time to pack a real lunch, and I'm never really hungry in the afternoons anyway, so I just grabbed what was there and threw it in my bag." I explained. This was an alien concept to them. "Oh, whatever, just let me eat it!"

At the end of the day the Host Club opened for business. _The Host Club sucks_. It wasn't the fact that I had to get groceries, including a crap-ton of instant coffee, or that I had to serve tea to snooty rich girls. Oh no, that was simple. It was the rumors the snot-nosed witches started about me, and the fact that the Hosts went along with it. No remorse.

The girls, upon seeing me in a boys uniform, thought I was a host. The club readily assured them that this was not the case. That I was just a dog, nothing more. The girls were getting jealous, thinking that if I spent too much time with those guys that I would 'fall in love with one of their darlings!" Or some shit like that. So, what do they come up with to ease their jealous hearts and minds? A rumor. One just probable enough for everyone to adopt it and spread it. That I was a lesbian. That way I could never fall in love with one of their darling hosts.

_That's funny. They talk about love as if it really exists. How_ cute.

So, what does the Host Club do about this little rumor? Encourage it! They said that if the girls thought I was a lesbian, that it would keep them happy and keep them from lashing out at me. "It might bring in a whole new group of customers," Kyoya said with a smirk. _How I'd like to slap that smile right off his face!_

So that's how I became Ouran's newest Lesbian Host. _Splendid, it's what I've always wanted. _That's why I stormed out of the building the split-second the bell rang. I grabbed my skateboard from under the front steps of the building on my way out. The hosts ran to catch up with me, calling my name. I sped off, muttering something about "dumb-ass rich kids". I kick flipped the stairs and boarded home.

I jiggled my keys in the lock of the door. The front door never fully closed unless it was locked, so I opted to just ram my shoulder into it. It shuddered open. The door wasn't the only thing wrong with my house. The main problem was that it wasn't _my_ house. Well, not my true home. I lived in a foster home. One that I shared with six other kids. The little brass plaque under the doorbell read "Raikatuji Home for Children in Need." A nice way of calling us unwanted.

Inside, I was met by the usual sounds of a busy family. Crying, yelling; the sounds of children. "Is Natsumi home?" I asked the girl sitting at the counter. Her name was Arisa. She was a third-year middle schooler at the crappy public school down the street. Her dark brown hair fell in tresses around the homework she was hunched over. Her blue eyes focused on the paper. She hadn't even acknowledged me. She was trying hard to beat her sister out of top spot in their class. _An effort in vain._

"She's out at work. She actually went today. Finally sobered up," a boy with choppy blonde hair muttered, raiding the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water and an apple. This was Zenko, a first year at Ouran. There with a academic scholarship. I was a year older than him but he was already a head taller than me. "Why are you late?" He studied me with his big brown eyes.

"Oh, you didn't hear? I'm the Host Club's new dog, and Ouran's new lesbian," I said with little enthusiasm.

"What?" He yelled, almost spitting up water. I was ready to explain when two other residents of the home stormed into the kitchen. One was the baby of the house, Makoto. Mako, for short. He was a eighteen months old with strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was teary-eyed, and so was the teen holding him. She thrust him into my arms, tears rolling down her cheeks. Kaori: identical to her twin sister, Arisa in everything but personality, intellect, and eye color. Her's were green– and damp.

"Make him stop crying! Please..." She whimpered. "I've been trying for almost an hour." I took him in my arms and bounced him, gently rubbing circles on his back. This was my life. Playing mom in a foster home. All of us were constant reminders to each other that life was unfair. All of us had our reasons for being here. Reasons that we kept to ourselves, knowing that if they ever got out our credibility was shot. We protected these secrets for each other and ourselves. My future at Ouran was riding on the hopes that no judgmental rich kids found out. Especially not a certain nosy Host Club.

**AN: Next chapter will pick up in the Home again and the we'll move back into the actual plot of the manga for a while. I'm really just going where this takes me! R&R, F&F! I read every review, and appreciate any and all input. You guys are great! ~Yuki-mu**


	4. Chapter 4

**Some Things Were Meant to be Broken**

**Kuzo Comes Back**

"Thanks for dinner, Yuki," Zenko called as he put his plate in the sink, "I'll do the dishes when everyone's done."

"Thanks! Be sure to let the pan cool off before you wash it!" The pan I had used to cook a late dinner for the family was still on the cooling stove. Two tiny figures ran up and hugged my legs. Kamiko, or Kami as we called her, was twin to Yumiko, or Yumi. The avid "lucky flower" givers. These two were fraternal twins, with personalities to match. Kami wanted to marry a rich prince and "move into a castle to be a fair an beautiful princess!" Yumi wanted to join the army and protect her country. Both girls fought about the borders of their imaginary countries, but would join together to "defeat" common enemies. Like, our "caretakers". Caretaker being a relative term, saying as that is legally what they were, but they were almost always drunk to the point of belligerency. Never helpful.

"Go ask Arisa to run you some bath water. After that get ready for bed, okay?"

"Alright!" Came the chorus of reply, and they ran off down the hall.

The door burst open and in stumbled Kakuzo. _Speak of the Devil... _Kuzo-senpai was the son of Natsumi, our Step-mother and namesake to the Raikatuji Home for Children in Need. He walked unevenly to the cabinet above the frige and grabbed a bottle of liquor.

"Haven't you had enough, Senpai?" I asked annoyed. This was the fourth night in a row he'd come home wasted. "It's a miracle you're not an alcoholic!" I joked sarcastically.

"Would you get off my case! It's been a hard week," he slurred.

"Oh, I'm sure, what with all of the non-stop partying and drinking, hm?"

"Aki _left me_," he shot a hard stare at me. Aki was his girlfriend of seven months, whom he cared a lot for. But, I wasn't cutting him any slack. I was relentless, and that was my first mistake.

"I'm sure I know exactly why, too..." I mumbled under my breath. I walked over to the trashcan clearing the twin's plates. Second mistake.

"What was that? What did you say?" Kuzo was getting in my face, close enough for me to smell the alcohol on his breath.

"_I said, _I think I know why Aki would leave you. Maybe it's because you're a raging alcoholic who can't control himself?" Third mistake. Now I would suffer.

My words rang true, because Kuzo took me by the neck and pushed me into the counter, knocking the wind out of me. I heard the clang of the pan as he picked it up off of the stove. He wrenched off my jacket and pressed the still-hot pan hard against my upper back.

I screamed. And screamed, hot tears streaming down my face in waves. It was a pain unlike any other. I could feel it searing the layers of skin off of my back, feel it blistering. I heard Zenko run in and pull Kuzo off of me, still brandishing the pan. Zenko wrenched it from his hand and threw it into the sink, but Kuzo wasn't done with me. _I seriously struck a nerve when I told him off..._

Kuzo shoved me to the floor, holding me down with his foot on my back. Right over my fresh burns.

"Never forget that I own you, Bitch!" He spat at me. "What do you say, hm? APOLOGIZE!" He screamed.

I was fighting to find the words, the breath to say them. "I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" I wheezed. He stormed over me and out the door. I crawled slowly to my feet, supported by Zenko.

"Why did you push him like that?" He asked gently. "You know he's an angry drunk." My step-brother was right, Kuzo often took the anger of his life out on me. That was the deal; I was his scapegoat, as long as he didn't harm any of the other children. Although, he was getting more and more creative with the ways he expressed his anger. _Burns... That's new. No slapping, kicking, or punching._ _Worse._ He was starting to improvise.

"It just happened. I was mad at him for never being home, and for leaving all of the chores to us. He's a caretaker, he should start acting like it!" The tears kept coming. "I'm going to bed. Can you tell the girls and Mako that everything is fine, please?" I asked with a shuddering breath. I turned my head to the right.

Zenko squeezed my hand, "Sure, sis'," and he locked the front door.

* * *

I looked at myself in the full mirror hanging on the back of my bedroom door. My ass-length, cherry red hair was twisted and very warm. I grabbed a hair brush off of my desk and began attacking some of the knots. I wiped the tears from my dark green eyes. Changing out the rest of my Ouran uniform (my jacket still on the kitchen floor), I got a good look at the burn. It was almost as big around as the pan itself, and very nasty looking. _Definitely going to scar. _I pulled on my long sleeved T-shirt and my favorite pajama pants. The ones with the cute little whales on them. They looked happy. _At least someone does._

__On my bookshelf, my cellphone buzzed. I had a text from Natsumi:

******(8:26) **Natsumi: Won't be back home tonight, stuck at work late and don't feel like making the comute. I'll find a hotel or something.

The way she was using full sentences and not "chat speak" told me that she was still sober. Natsumi wasn't so bad, at least she tried to care about all of us. When she first took over the position as caretaker from her mother, she wasn't ever home. She didn't want to give up what youth she had left to to take care of "some has-been kids". Slowly but surely, though, she began to realize that we wanted to be there far less than she did. Something changed her, but none of us knew what it was. Since then she cut getting drunk to a minimum, and went back to her job as a secretary full-time. It didn't bother me that _she _wasn't ever home, because knew she was out making money. Money that went to the kids, for food, and for all of our medications.

**(8:28) Yuki: **Okay, thanks for the heads up. If you see that deadbeat son of yours, tell him I hope he rots in hell...

**(8:29) Natsumi: **What did he do to you? I told you, I can't control what he does anymore.

**(8:30) Yuki: **I know. It's just a little burn, it'll heal. Goodnight.

**(8:31) Natsumi: **Goodnight?

Sleeping didn't come easy, maybe because it was still early. Maybe would have helped if a shooting pain didn't radiate from my back every time I moved.

_I wonder if I'll be able to cover this up with my uniform? I think I'm going to need a different shirt for tomorrow, the one I was wearing is a bit singed now..._ _I guess I'll wait and see what tomorrow brings. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Some**** Things Were Meant to be Broken**

**A Cupcake Kind of Christmas**

_Crap! I wonder what they'll do to me if I'm late? _I was envisioning different methods of torture the Hosts might try if I got to the club late, which I most certainly was. I was pushing off the ground, trying to gain speed so I could jump the stairs and board straight through the open door, into the hallway. I kicked the back of the board hard, just barely making the last step. It glided wonderfully down the smooth hall. I waved to some kids in my class that I recognized with my free hand. The other was occupied with a box of homemade cupcakes I had made the Host Club for Christmas. Special recipe, I made the self-proclaimed best cakes in the world.

"_Miss Muruyama_," A harsh voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned to see who it was, when I saw the vice principal angrily walking up to me. "Please refrain from riding your skateboard in the building, lest you scuff my floors." _Wow, he's my biggest fan, isn't he? _A tiny smile crept onto my face,

"Yes, Sir!" I responded. He cringed as I pumped my foot on the back of my board and caught it by the wheels with my free hand. "I won't let it happen again!" _I'm probably going to do it again. _I smirked_._

I sprinted to the club room and busted open the doors. What I saw, I never would have expected. _Damn, I knew they were crazy, but this is a whole new level. _

I had found myself amidst the tropics... In the middle of December...

"Oh, Yuki, it's you. You're even later than Haruhi." Hikaru said. I was getting pretty good at telling which one was which. "What do you have?"

I laid my board and bag down where they would be out of the way and opened the box. The aroma of baked goods filled the air. "I know I'm late, but I brought cupcakes for you all!" Honey's eyes lit up. "Merry Christmas!"

Honey ran up to me and hugged me."Thank you, thank you, Yuki!" He held out his hands and I plopped one of the little pink-iced cakes in them.

"You're welcome, they're chocolate," I smiled and turned to the others.

_"_Wow, are those Moki-mu's famous cakes?" Haruhi asked, a nostalgic smile on her face. "It's been a long time since I've had one." She took one from the box and popped it in her mouth. "Mmm..."

_"_What's the big deal?" The twins asked, looking bored. "It's cake."

_"_Yuki-mu makes the very very best cakes!" Honey came to my defense. He took another from the box. "Yeah." Mori agreed, patting my head and taking one.

"Well, if they get that much praise from Honey-senpai, then they must be good," Kaoru decided as he took a bite. Hikaru followed in tow. I watched with pleasure as their eyes widened. "Oh my God," Hikaru said, mouth full of cake. "This is _really good_!" His counterpart nodded vigorusly.

"Yeah well, what can I say?" I grinned. I turned to Tamaki and Kyoya. "Take one."

Tamaki carefuly took one from the box, and took a princly bite. His eyes lit up. "Both of Daddy's girls can cook!" he swooned. He grabbed Haruhi and I and pulled us into a crushing hug.

"Daddy?" I shot a look at Haruhi, who just rolled her eyes.

"Okay..?" I spun myself out of the awkward embrace. "Kyoya?" I held the cake box out to him expectantly.

"I'll pass, thank you. I don't particularly like sweets." He said pushing up his glasses and scribbling in his notebook.

"Nonesence!" I grabbed his hand and put a cake in it. I heard some of the hosts gasp. "Eat. You don't scare me, _Shadow Prince._" I gave him my best evil smile.

I stared with satisfaction as he rolled his eyes and took a uninthusiastic bite. And, as his eyes glittered ever so slightly. He nodded, the faintest smile on his lips. "Very good, thank you. Now, you all need to change, we have guests coming."

I watched the boys bustle into dressing rooms and come out in tropical outfits matching the scenery. I also watched as Tamaki and the twins try to dress Haruhi up in a Queen of Bali outfit. She declined reminding them that keeping her gender a secret was more important than dressing up. So of course, they tried putting it on me.

"What did I say about dresses?" I reminded them, fending the twins off by slapping at the air wildly. "I'm a gymnast, I have to be able to move. _To get away. _I can't move in a dress."

"Imagined you'd say as much, which is why I also had a skirt made for you. I hope that won't also be a problem." Kyoya stated as he held out a bag with some silky lightweight clothes in it. "You can change in there." He pointed to a curtained dressing room.

It was spacious on the inside and well lit. There was a full length mirror in one corner and a plush stool near it. I set down the bag and pulled off my blazer, throwing it over the stool. I unbuttoned my shirt and did the same with it. I turned my body and observed the scar on my back.

It had been a while since Kuzo burned me and as I anticipated, it left a nasty scar. It was still dark and scabbed. It hurt when you touched it, but other than that, wasn't a problem. I could see it clearly through my thin white undershirt, though.

I heard the curtain rustle, and Haruhi called my name. "Yuki, can I come in for a second. Kyoya-senpai told me to bring this to you." She was holding a bag. "There are some scarf-looking things in here. He told me you should tie one around your waist, and one around your head like a headband. They feel really nice." She rubbed on of them between her fingers.

"Okay," I said looking at her through the reflection in the mirror, not turning around. She looked up from the bag and and right at my burn. _Shit_!

"Yuki... What happened to you?" He eyes were wide. She dropped the bag on the floor. I heard the curtain rustle as the twins poked their heads in.

"What's going... On?" Their eyes followed Haruhi's to the scar in question. "How'd that happen?"

"That's what I'd like to know," said Kyoya. The curtain was flung open as the remaining boys stepped inside. I became very aware that you could not only see my scar, but my floral patterned bra through my undershirt.

"Yuki-mu," Honey took my hand and squeezed it tight, "Did someone hurt you?" His voice was tinged with bitterness. My fingers started twitching.

"It's nothing, its just a little scar. Drop the subject." I said looking at each one of the hosts in turn. Each had a different emotion plastered on their face. Tamaki and the twins: sympathy. Mori and Honey: anger. Kyoya and Haruhi: something that resembled disapproval.

"Little? Yuki, its almost the size of a frying pan," Haruhi said flatly. "Who did this?" Her voice was rising with determination, like a mother demanding to know which of her children had broken her favorite vase.

"No one, now _d__rop it_. Go play with the rich girls!" My voice was rising to match hers. "Get _out!" _I shoved all of them out of the room forcefully, and tore the curtains closed. _  
_

I pulled on the outfit I was given. A silken sleeveless shirt and a mid-thigh length skirt that flowed as I walked. I tied the scarf things around my waist and my head. _I actually look kinda cute! _

I cautiously stepped out into the club room. The hosts glanced at me and gave me half smiles, awkward feelings and questions still hanging in the air. I just shook my head and went to the back room to make tea.

* * *

The Host Club was booming. All the girls were chatting and gossiping about the Christmas Party. It seemed to be the biggest event of the year.

After the session ended for the day and it was just me and the hosts left. Tamaki and the twins started to talk to Haruhi about one of the customers. Kanako was her name. She apparently had a thing for switching hosts every few weeks, Host-Hopping they called it. Apparently that was very taboo for the girls.

"I don't know why that's so weird to you guys," I stated as I picked up empty cups and plates off tables, "I mean, what fun is it to throw yourself into a meaningless relationship knowing it's never going to go anywhere. All those girls know they can't date you, don't they? I just don't understand why they subject themselves to this. It seems more like torture than fun, being around someone who could never return my feelings. Assuming I had feelings, of course." I looked up to see Honey at my side, tears in his eyes, and disapproving looks from the others. Tamaki was even off in his own little emo corner, muttering about how his "daughter is so mean".

"Harsh don't you think?" The twins said, each of them grabbing an arm and pulling me to a chair. "You're going to have to shape up that mood for the Christmas party."

"I have to go to that?" I groaned. "I'd rather not go also," Haruhi added. We began walking to the door.

"Nonsense!" Tamaki slapped a hand down on one each of our shoulders. "You are part of the host club, you have to be there."

I limply removed his hand from my shoulder, "I'm the Host Club's _dog, _and last I checked, pets aren't allowed at formal events." I looked to Kyoya, a smile tracing his lips. He looked like he might say something when Tamaki cut him off.

"That's it!" Tamaki yelled, pointing his finger at Haruhi and I, "You two will wear proper girls clothing! No man will love you unless you dress and act like the pretty girls you are!" He whined and clutched a picture of Haruhi from middle school to his chest.

"I don't need a man's' approval to be happy with myself." I stated flatly. "If I were looking for love, maybe I'd give a crap about my appearance every now and again. I've got too much shit to deal with besides pretending that love exists."

Tamaki's jaw dropped. Kyoya scribbled in his book. Honey ran to Mori and hugged his legs. Kaoru pretended to faint and Hikaru caught him.

"I don't really care about gender or apperance either," Haruhi said. She also referred to herself as a boy in the first person, throwing Tamaki into emo mode once again.

"Mommy, Haruhi and Yuki use bad words!" He whined, clutching Kyoya's ankles.

"_Mommy?" _I asked incredulously, giving Kyoya a look. He rolled his eyes, "Don't call me that."

_I can't wait to call him that. _I began laughing uncontrollably. "I... I get it now!" I panted. "You're all one big demented family! How cute!"

"Do you two have expirence dancing?" The twins grabbed Haruhi and I and ushered us away from Tamaki.

"Dancing?" Haruhi and I both looked dumbfounded. "I can't dance," she assured them. They looked to me.

"Well, I can but I probably won't have to. I mean, who wants to dance with the lesbian?"

"Other lesbians of course," Kaoru said as he spun me around. He grinned wildly, "and maybe even a host." His face was very near mine. I pushed it away, "Stop it, you freak." He and Hikaru cackled madly.

So in preparation for the Christmas party, Haruhi was offered a deal, taught how to dance, and the Host Club prepared to meddle in a relationship that really wasn't their problem.

* * *

"Arisa," I called, "are you gonna do this, or not?" Arisa, the aspiring beautician, offered to paint my nails and do my hair for the Christmas party. I had gotten dressed in my short powder pink skirt. The one with the black, floral lace overlay. That and my white button down dress shirt. Arisa picked out my shoes and jewelry.

"COMING!" She screamed. She was flustered because she thought that dressing me up would be a testament to her abilities and I could tell "all of your rich friends that your little sister made you beautiful". She bustled into my room with a basket of makeup, hairbrushes, clips, and a curling iron. _Good Lord!_

An hour later, I looked gorgeous. My cherry-red hair had been expertly curled, a silver clip crowning my head. My nails were painted a matte pink to match my skirt.

"You look beautiful," Zenko cooed.

"Yuki looks like a princess!" The twins giggled.

"Hell yeah she does!" Arisa cheered.

"Now get out there and show those Ouran snobs that you're the sexiest damn lesbian they've ever seen!" Kaori shouted as we high-fived. I laughed as I hugged them all, grabbed my skateboard, and left to catch the bus. _I just hope I don't get hit on by the creeps who use public transportation. _

* * *

I skated into the club room where we would be meeting before the party began. Honey gasped, "Yuki-mu you look beautiful!" He took my hands and spun me around. I gave Mori my hand and I did a 360 in place. I kept curtsying and tipping my imaginary hat.

"It would have been nice if you'd have worn a dress. Our mother could have made one for you." The twins sighed.

"You know what?" I asked leaning close to them, "I don't really care because I feel like a princess!"

"You look lovely, now let's go greet our guests." Kyoya grinned evilly.

Hikaru and Kaoru pulled me over to the side, "Hey Yuki, what do you know about dealing blackjack?"

* * *

The doors were opened, and chaos ensued. I was put in our casino, dealing card games of chance with the twins. Every time a girl won a game, she earned a point. The girl with the most points won a kiss from the Host Club King, Tamaki. _A dumb prize if you ask me. _

Everything was pretty tepid for a while until one girl in particular sat down. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and onyx black eyes. _Wow, she's really beautiful, _I thought as I dealt her first card. "Hit me," she said. I flipped another card on top. "Hit me." And, another. Blackjack.

"Alright," I smiled, "good job!"

"You're that lesbian girl in the Host Club right? That's why you're here working?" She asked me, catching me totally off guard. I froze. I met her expectant stare and nodded. She grabbed my hand and let out a relived sigh. "Thank God it's really you, that could have been a very awkward mix-up." She smiled wide at the utterly confused look I gave her. "It's alright because I'm a lesbian too! You're the only one at Ouran I've met. It is hard not having anyone else who understands!"

"Yeah, I guess." I agreed, "You wanna play again?"

"Sure," she laughed. We played a total of fifty seven more games. Out of those she won thirty two, putting her in the lead in the point competition. In those hours, I learned a lot about her. Not only was she a lesbian, but her name was Tamami Okamoto, and she was a third year D-class. She played electric keyboard, knew how to work a mixer, and sometimes deejayed at clubs on the weekends. She was really cool and we hit it off, instantly becoming friends.

Everything was going great until I looked across the ball room and saw Haruhi being scooped up by Mori and Honey, and rushed off to the club room.

Tamami followed my gaze. "I should probably go check that out, I'll be right back." And I rushed off to see what the fuss was.

As usual, it was just the Host Club being stupid.

"Why the bloody hell are you all in here when there are four-hundred girls out there who want to see you guys?" I yelled as I busted through the doors. The twins were doing Haruhi's makeup. She looked like a girl again, really pretty.

"Why do you say 'bloody hell' like you're British or something?" The twins asked giving me a weird look.

I shuffled my foot against my leg awkwardly. "My mom was born in Britain, so English is her first language.  
_Is? Was._  
She moved to America with her family when she was twelve. She met my father, who was born in Japan, in college. They moved back to Japan together to marry and raise a family. One that speaks both English and Japanese fluently." The hosts looked impressed.

After my little genealogy lesson was over they directed Haruhi to the room where Kanako's fiance was waiting. I chewed them out for meddling and left to find Tamami again. I wasn't really sure how that plan went, because I didn't care. I counted down to Christmas with Tamami and we had the last dance of the night together, just as friends. _I guess Kaoru was right, someone did want to dance with the lesbian. _I grinned.

"Attention, Ladies. We have the winner of the most points that will get a kiss from the Host Club King," Kyoya's voice sounded over the central speakers, "and, for the first time, we have a tie! Miyako Hime and Tamami Okamoto! Ladies, if it's alright, we've modified the kiss to be from the host of your choice."  
Miyako, some girl I didn't know, shouted "Haruhi!"

"I– I don't want to kiss anyone!" Tamami hissed.

"It's just a kiss on the cheek so just grab a boy and kiss him. It doesn't mean anything!" I shouted as Honey trotted up and dragged us both to the center of the floor. A spotlight landed on us, and Tamami grabbed my hand.

"For me?" she gazed at me pleadingly, "It won't be weird, I promise! Like you said, its just on the cheek! I just _really _don't want to kiss one of those boys."

"Kiss you?" I spluttered. She nodded vigorously. "Ugh, you owe me big time." She grinned.

I could hear the whispers of the hosts. "Is Yuki going to kiss that girl?" "That's the one she's been talking to all night." Maybe she really _is _a lesbian!" _I'm NOT! _I wanted to scream but couldn't.

I saw Haruhi lean in to give Miyako her kiss, and I did the same for Tamami. Both of us had almost accomplished our missions when we heard, "Hold those kisses!" Tamaki came bounding towards us. He slipped midway and ended up pushing both of us into our consecutive girls. My lips met Tamami's. Both of our eyes were wide open with shock. _Well fuck_.

We pushed out of the embrase and gawked at each other. "Shall we pretend that never happened?" She asked.

"Lets shall," I giggled. She began laughing too, and we ended up in a heap on the floor. In all it was a good night... I guess.

* * *

**AN: Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted as recently as I should have. 'Was real busy, ya'know? Anyway, to make up for that I wrote you an uber long chapter. Its a twist on the manga's Christmas party to turn it into Yuki's first real adventure as a fake lesbian! :D I hope you liked it! F&F, R&R! ~Yuki-mu**


	6. Chapter 6

**Broken Butterfly: Formerly known as "Some Things Were Meant to be Broken"**

**Renge, Zenko, and a Lovely School Shooting**

I was in the gym before school started, practicing. I had to tryout for my position on the gymnastics team that afternoon and I wanted to prepare myself. I could prove to them that I had a scholarship for a reason.

I ran through the winning routine I created for my middle school team. And the one for my old high school team. I was used to being captain and bringing home the gold, but Ouran was different. I felt like just being skilled might not cut it. _My lack of pedigree could pose a problem._

I finished my routines twice over and decided to do some yoga. I flipped myself into a handstand and carefully balanced on one hand. I then used my free hand to grab one ankle and pull it back. Sometimes I did this in competition, because it looked cool and I made it up. Creativity bonus points.

Someone started clapping and I saw a tall, slender girl trotting up me. I lowered myself out of my awkward position and turned to face her.

"Very impressive," she smiled. "You're Yuki right? The scholarship girl?"

I nodded sheepishly. "Have you been watching the whole time?"

"Of course, and I'm glad I did! I'm Teruyo. Teruyo Senmatsu, the current gymnastics team captian!" My jaw hit the floor. _The captian thinks I'm impressive! _"I think we're in the same class? I got my scholarship when I was a first year, and was premoted to captain last year!" She seemed proud of herself. _Why shouldn't she be? _

_"_Oh wow, that's really cool!" I said, not really sure how to respond to her ramblings.

"Thanks, I was wondering if you wanted a position on the team?" She looked at me with her crystal blue eyes expectantly.

"Don't I have to try out? That's why I'm here so early. To prepare."

"Well, were all of those routines you did original? And the pose?"

"Of course! I was captain of my elementary, middle, and high school teams. I've been a gymnast since I was four." I grinned wide. It was no lie. My father had me enrolled in after-school courses and I joined Ouran Elementary's team. That's where it all started.

"Well then, starting today, you are my co-captain slash apprentice. No charge!"

"_Really?_ You really mean it?" I was buzzing with joy and excitement. _Maybe talent _can_ get me on the team! _

"Absolutely, but its up to you to help bring Ouran's team the gold! Give me your phone and I'll put in my number. Then you give me yours." I handed her my phone from my bag, then punched my number into her contacts. "Good, now go and celebrate! I'll see you after clubs for practice!"

"I'll see you then!" I cheered as I skated out of the gym, already choreographing new routines in my head.

* * *

I boarded all the way to the North Hall, cheering and shouting things in English, like: "I'm going to be captain!" and "Take that, Dad."

I was still on my buzz from that morning's news. I even refused to tell Honey and Mori why I was so excited in class, no matter how much Honey pleaded and Mori nodded.

I shoved open the doors to Music Room 3, boarded in, and ground the back of one of the pink sofas. I was careful not to tear up the finish of the wood. I didn't want to up my debt.

"Yuki, would you mind not riding on the furniture?" Kyoya asked, rolling his eyes.

"Fine, _Mommy._" I called as I brought my stuff to the back room. He shot me a dangerous look. I just laughed.

"Yuki-mu, Yuki-mu, what's going on? Why are you so excited?" Honey asked, not for the first time, tugging on the edge of my blazer.

"You re-ally want to know?" I dragged out my words, causing Honey to bounce on his toes anxiously.

"Yes, yes, yes!" A quick glance around the room could prove that I had the attention of all the hosts, not just the sweet blonde.

"Fine," I rolled my eyes, trying to make myself look less than eager to spread the news.

"I'M CAPTAIN OF THE GYMNASTICS TEAM!" I screamed happily taking Honey's hands and bouncing and spinning. Honey cheered, the twins clapped me on the back, Mori patted my head, Haruhi hugged me, and Tamaki did the same, but refused to let go.

"SO proud of our little girl! Right, Mommy?" He gushed, his sparkling eyes looking at Kyoya to say something.

"Very, just so long as it doesn't interfere with her Host Club duties." He pushed up his glasses with two fingers.

"Wow, thanks Mom." I said sarcastically, "I'll have you know that it won't, practices are _after_ club hours." I gave him a knowing look.

"That's good, now all of you go get dressed, we have to show our well-paying customers a nice time among the cherry blossoms."  
_Bor-ing..._

* * *

It wasn't that incredibly boring after all. We got to got to meet this crazy French girl who totally tore Tamaki off of his princely pedestal and thought she was engaged to Kyoya. It was amusing to watch. For a little while, at least.

"Oh, who would ever think our dear mother was an adulterer?" I pretended to sob and collapsed over a couch. Kyoya and his lover shot me dirty looks from across the room. I stifled a laugh.

Renge was her name, and she started spouting off about how Kyoya was so lovely and affectionate. "He looks just like Ichijo Miyabi-kun from Uki Doki Memorial!" She gushed.

"Oh I get it," I said, "she's an otaku. Since Kyoya looks like this character she likes so much, she developed an attachment to him and calls him her fiance. Kinda freaky when you think about it..." The other hosts nodded in agreement.

"She's the daughter of an important business ally of my family. So take good care of her." The hosts all left Haruhi and I with Renge, Tamaki shouting something about him being a cruel father. "And If some thing goes wrong, I'm doubling both your debts." Kyoya gave us his trademark evil grin. _Oh, I'll show them a thing or two about being cruel!_

Haruhi and I looked at each other, and then to Renge. "I want to make cookies for Kyoya-sama!" Renge shouted, then ushered us into the first cooking classroom where Haruhi and I tried to teach her how to bake. A failed plan.

* * *

"No Renge, you can't do it like that," Haruhi sighed. We had been in the kitchen for almost an hour. I was trying not to pay any attention to them, but I knew that the host boys were watching us from the doors.

"I think she mistook the Host Club for a bakery or something, poor Haruhi." Hikaru said. "Poor Yuki," Kaoru added, "she looks miserable." _Spot on. Miserable indeed._

"Are all your eyes knot-holes?" Tamaki yelled, "can you not see three female classmates getting along very well?" The hosts all looked at each other and then to Haruhi, Renge, and I. "This is all part of my well-devised plan to make my daughters realize their feminine side!  
_Oh, that's what this is all about.  
"_Here in their natural element, the fragile element that only women can posses."  
_I've heard enough you sexist bastard._

While the hosts were distracted, I slipped through the side door of the classroom. I snuck around the hall until I was behind Tamaki. Mori, was the first to notice me, but naturally said nothing. Kyoya and Honey were next. I pressed one finger to my lips. I repeated the motion for the twins and they suppressed a smile.

Tamaki was still gushing about how women are so pretty and fragile and a whole bunch of other sexist shit. I got really close behind him and jabbed a finger into his ribs. The twins started laughing hysterically as our king cried out in shock. "How did you–"

"I'm a master assassin," I grinned. "Are you suggesting that women belong holed up in a kitchen?" I asked accusingly. Tamaki just stuttered, trying to find words that hopefully wouldn't make me want to punch him. Renge found some quicker.

"You're too noisy, fake King." Bam. Tamaki was thrown straight into his emo corner, faster than you could count to five. "Kyoya-sama, I've learned to bake commoner's cookies from Haruhi.  
_I would be offended if I had actually done anything but make chocolate icing after Renge royally screwed up. _

Everyone but Haruhi and I took one of Renge's cookies. I took one of Haruhi's instead. I knew those wouldn't kill me.

After tasting and hating Renge's cookies, Hikaru and Kaoru came up to the two of us. Hikaru leaned in close to Haruhi's face and bit off the other half of the cookie in her mouth to, "get rid of bad taste." Kaoru leaned to me, "Oh Yuki, you have a bit of icing on your cheek. Let me get that for you." He kissed my cheek, licking off the chocolate icing in the process. I stared at him dumbfounded, mouth agape. After a second he fell onto Hikaru, cackling wildly.

"You should see your face! Priceless!" He laughed. I walked up behind him and rapped him upside the head.

"Yes, you're very funny. Dipshit..." I muttered as I walked away from them. "If you ever lick my face again, you'll find yourself missing an arm."

"You're right Kaoru, she definitely has a crush on you," Hikaru called after me. I spun around, fire in my eyes.

"I most certainly _do not_ you little bastards! I'm gonna kill you!" I made to start running towards them, but Mori caught my arm.

"They're just being the twins. Let them go." He said in his deep, rocky voice. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're all to tepid!" Mori and I, along with the other hosts turned to Renge. Honey came running to us and hugged our legs. "Girls go crazy for guys with negative aspects. All of your little antics will get boring! You need total character makeovers! Starting with you," she pointed to Honey. "You are now incredibly cute on the outside but really a beast!" Honey cried. "Morinodzuka-senpai! Follow Honey around, always staying by his side and dignify your speeches once in a while! Hikaru, Kaoru, you two suffer from the fact that no one can tell you apart! Also, join the basketball team! Haruhi! You are the super-poor honor student who is also bullied! Tamaki-senpai, you are the institute's idol, revered for his charm and good looks, but have a severe complex: Lonely Prince!

Tamaki began contemplating the idea. "Kyoya-sama, please never change!"

"So you're going to take who they actually are," I pointed to Renge mocking the way she pointed at all the host while she remade them, "and add some stupid 'negative aspect'? This is supposed to make them more desirable?"

"Did you notice? I didn't have to assign _you_ a negative aspect, _Lesbian." _Renge said smugly.

"OH, YOU WANNA GO?" I screamed. I felt Mori grab me again, but I struggled against his hold. "Let me kill her! I promise I won't get any blood on the floor!"

"Yuki!" A voice shouted. But, it wasn't Mori's. It wasn't any of the hosts' or even Renge's. It was Zenko, sprinting down the hall. His face was red, like he had been running for a long time. He looked on the brink of tears. It reminded me of how he looked when he was younger.

"Yuki! Call Ryozo, he needs to drive us to Kami and Yumi's school!"

"What why? What happened? What's going on?" Panic was rising in my chest.

"When was the last time you checked your cell?" he asked.

"I don't know, this morning, maybe? Why is that important?"

"Just go get it!" Zenko yelled.

"It's in the club room, let's go!" I sprinted down the hall and made my way to Music Room 3, leaving a much confused host club, my step-brother, and a crazy french girl in my wake.

* * *

"Yuki? Yuki, I'm scared. Arisa and I just heard gunshots and we're not sure if it came from here or across the street. School is on lockdown, but you need to check on the twins. Hurry!"

That was the message from Kaori that awaited me on my cellphone when I ran to the club room to get it. I played it on speaker phone so Zenko could hear it when he caught up with me.

"See? Arisa sent me a message just like that! We have to go right now! Call Ryozo!" Zenko was practically bouncing.

Ryozo was the older brother of some friends I met at my last highschool. He owned a bar call The Crystal Orchid. Thankfully it wasn't a bar my fosters frequented. Ryozo was our designated driver when Natsumi or Kuzo couldn't drive us. In fact, he was their designated driver too.

"Alright," I sighed.

"WAIT!" The hosts crashed through the doors. Haruhi was being carried by Mori. Her face was flushed and she looked out of breath.  
_That's right, she's not much of a runner is she?  
_She was the one who had yelled. I couldn't remember the last time she yelled like that. It was a determined yell. One that could stop a charging bull in its tracks.

"Yuki, who is this? What's going on?"

I looked to Zenko, and he to me. "I'm Ebisawa Zenko an A-class first year. I'm Yuki's... Step-brother." I buried my face in my hands.  
_Everything we worked for. Gone in a matter of minutes._

"I would love to explain this in detail," I began inching to the door, "but I have to be somewhere. I'll be back later." I grabbed Zenko and my bag and ran out the door.

We stopped by the front gates, out of breath. I pulled my phone out of my bag and called Ryozo. "I filled him in on everything and he told me that he'd close up early and drive us." Zenko looked relived. I was too, until I realized I had forgetten my skateboard in the clubroom. It was a horrible feeling not having it with me. It was like part of me. Tears welled in my eyes. _I can't deal with this right now!_

_"_Yuki," I heard a deep, rocky voice say my name. "You forgot this." It was Mori, with my skateboard in hand.

"Thanks," I whimpered as I took it from him. He uncharacteristically pulled me into a hug. _I've never seen him hug anyone but Honey._

"Be careful." I pulled away from him as Ryozo pulled up in his rickety red pickup truck. I tossed my stuff in the backseat and climbed in, Zenko doing the same. As we drove off, I glanced at Mori. He had me fixed in one of his concerned gazes, but then was out of sight.

* * *

The was never a car ride so painfully silent. It was reminicent of the many rides I had taken in the back of a police car. Not for crimes though, for disasters.

We pulled around the corner and drove up to the twins' schools. The middle school that Kaori and Arisa attended was right across the street from Kami and Yumi's elementary school. There were police cars all along the sides of the roads. There were kids being ushered to cars by their parents. Crying, sirens, talking, wailing, noise– but I didn't hear it. I felt it.

I spotted Kami and Yumi sitting on the fencing of the garden in the front of the school. Yumi had her arm around Kami who was crying. Ryozo pulled the car to a stop and let Zenko and I out. We sprinted to the girls and each picked one up. I had Kami, the both of us quietly crying, I out of relief, and she out of shock. Zenko held Yumi in an unbreakable hug.

We walked to her teacher standing by the front doors to the school, talkng to parents and reassuring children. I checked the girls out of school and brought them to the car. WE drove home where Kaori and Arisa were waiting with open arms. I said goodbye and got back into Ryozo's car. "Take me back to school. I have gymnastics practice."

He didn't say a word, he just drove. I liked it better that way. I pushed the radio knob and set it to a news channel. The crackling, unfamiliar voices were relaxing. He pulled up to the front gates where seven high school figures were waiting.

"Yuki!" The twins called. I had heard my name so many times that day, I was ready to change it. I ruefully walked over to them. There were no hugs, or tackles, or anything I would have expected from the ususal Host Club.

"What haven't you been telling us, Yuki?" Haruhi fixed hard stare on me.

I returned her gaze with equal strength, "Look, a lot has changed about me, for better and for worse since the last time I saw you. There are things that I want to, but can't tell you. Even though I know you won't," I looked at the other hosts, Tamaki, Kyoya, and the twins in particular, "I ask you to respect that." Then I left.

I just, walked away. I left them, and the whole day behind me as I walked to my first gymnastics practice.

**AN: Hey guys! I am oh so sorry I haven't posted in... a week. Again, sorry! You may have noticed, I renamed the story! Sorry for any and all confusion this caused! I was thinking deeper into the plot, and realized that it fits better! Whoo! I'm also thinking about doing chapters and sections from other character's points of view. Good idea? R&R, F&F, thanks as always! ^w^ **

**~Yuki-mu**


	7. Chapter 7

**Broken Butterfly**

**Playing Tricks, Digging Deeper**

Kaoru

I was walking with my brother to the before-school meeting Tamaki was having for Host Club. He turned to me and started walking backwards so he could see me and talk at the same time.

"You wanna play a prank on Yuki today?"

"Why?" It seemed boring, she ususally wasn't that much fun to prank.

"Because she smacked us and called us dipshits!" He yelled. I smiled at the memory of her overreaction. _So worth it._

"No, she smacked _me _and called _me_ a dipshit. What are you thinking, anyway?" I asked, intrigued now. Hikaru and I were always pulling pranks, but Yuki was different. She was easy to fluster, but not to fool.

"Well we had physical examinations yesterday, which means Yuki will have an assessment in advanced P.E. today. The one where you have to climb the rope."

I shuddered. I had seen people climb that rope. Its not as much fun as it sounds to watch some one fall from it. "What are you planning on doing?"

"We're gonna grease the rope!"

"No way, some one could get hurt!"

"No one is going to get hurt! We will only grease the bottom, just so it's to hard to climb onto! She'll be knocked right off of that high horse of hers!" Hikaru grinned devilishly.

I sighed and pushed open the mahogany doors to the club room. "Fine." _But, this isn't going to work. _

* * *

Yuki

"Ne, ne, Yuki-mu! Are you ready for assessments today?" Honey asked me as he bounced along in front of Mori and I.

"Well, not to brag but I used to _dominate _assessments at my old schools. I am eager to see how it's done here in Wealthy Land, though," I used my new nickname for Ouran. Physical Education Assessments were a regular thing in most schools. Tests to measure strength, agility, speed, balance, and endurance. Categories Mori and Honey were exceptional in.

If you were on a sports, dance, or martial arts team, you were in an advanced P.E. class. The boys and girls were usually segregated in two different gyms, but today was an exception.

"Hey Yuki," Teruyo, my gymnastics co-captain, trotted up to me and linked her arm through mine, "are you ready to show all those dumb boys what a girl can really do?" She grinned defiantly when she turned and saw Mori and Honey standing by me, looking unamused.

"Why are you so insistant on making this a battle of the sexes?" I graoned as she dragged me to the locker rooms. Everyone was supposed to wear the training uniform for their team. So, of course, most of the girls rolled their shorts and skirts, and guys went shirtless. "Wow, now I see why we have class in seperate gyms," I muttered as Teruyo and I walked out to where everyone was congregating, "it looks like there was a hormone outbreak in Slut City." Teruyo and I laughed hysterically.

"We don't look any more conservative than they do, just look at us! Spandex alert!" It was true. We were wearing the uniforms for gymnastics practice; black short-shorts and a pastel blue, tight-fitted tank-top. There was gold trim along the whole outfit. It was showy and tight fitting. I was suddenly very self conscious.

"Ladies and Gentlemen if you would not mind we would like to begin assessments. We will begin with the dance team, then the gymnastics team." Our teacher announced.

"High jump, top score. Sprint, owned it. Balance beam, is that even debatable? Am I rocking this assessment or what?" I asked Teruyo.

"Don't get cocky yet, we haven't even started climbing the rope."

"Teruyo, Darling, you're looking at the Last Ninja here, what is a rope to me?" I was putting on my best conceited snob routine. She punched my shoulder. "Ow! Okay, okay, I'm done!"

I waited in line behind the other girls on the team. Rope was a test of endurance and strength. There were four bells hanging at different places. Each one made a different noise, so the teachers would know how far up you'd gotten. One near the bottom, one in the middle, one at the higher end, and the last one was at the very top. Tied to the final knot.

"Only two or three people make it to the very top one every year. I never have, but I'm optimstic!" Teruyo beamed.

The first girl was up. She jumped to grab a low knot; and slid off. Clean off. Like there was something slippery on the rope. She tried two more times, other people tried, until a verdict was passed that something was wrong. I looked around for suspicious characters, and when my eyes passed over one of the wide windows, I could have sworn I saw the tops of two auburn colored heads. _I see... I'll have to kill them later._

_"_I have a solution!" I shouted, gaining the attention of many. "Teruyo, grab me the towel from your bag, please." She trotted off to get it, "You three," I pointed to some girls who I recognized from the gymnastics team, "can you help me? Basket form." The three of them linked their arms to form a makeshift basket. We used this form to raise people to the top of group formations, or to preform tricks in competition. "Thank you very much," and Teruyo handed me the towel. "Up we go!"

In one fluid motion, I was pushed up a good six or seven feet in the air. I heard some gasps as I wobbled a bit, and I knew all eyes were on me. I grabbed the rope and looped the towel around it. I quickly rubbed it down with a back and forth motion until all of the grease was gone, and the rope was climbable. I had the girls lower me slowly so I didn't miss any sections.

When my feet touched the floor I was met with pats on the back and some "thank you"s. I simply stepped back into line, as the girls started climbing again. Teruyo was right. No one had reached the very top bell yet, and only one or two, the third. My turn came soon enough.

I stepped up to it, sized it up, and jumped up to grab a knot. I could hear whispers, "she won't make it to the top." "She's so tiny!" I jumped for a higher knot and made it. _I didn't score top in high jump for nothing! _I climbed, and climbed, and didn't stop. First bell, second bell, almost to the third. My arms were burning like hell, and I was sweating buckets. "C'MON YUKI!" I heard Teruyo scream.

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" I screamed back at her. I pulled myself up until my foot was level with the third bell. I kicked it hard and grimaced when it rang out.

"IF YOU MAKE THIS LAST BELL I WILL GIVE YOU TWO THOUSAND YEN!" I heard Teruyo again. _I could use that to buy groceries._ It wasn't like we couldn't afford to feed everyone at home, but the money set aside for groceries was usually spent on booze and cigarets for Natsumi and Kuzo. _The things I do for money. Maybe I'm the Shadow Princess? _I grimaced.

I screamed to her. It wasn't a conciveable word so much as it was a groan of pain and exasperation. My muscles felt like they were being pulled from my bones. I could hear people shouting my name as the final bell was almost in reach. _Right hand, left hand, right hand, left, right, left... _ I talked myself through every motion, each more strenuous than the last. The cheers became louder as the final bell became level with my shoulder. I gripped the rope tight with my legs and one arm, and smacked at the final bell limply. I couldn't hear it ring. All I could hear was my heartbeat and the blood rushing through my head. My vision blurred and went dark. I felt my hands slip from the rope. The only clear sound: Teruyo's terrified scream.

* * *

I raised my head slowly, looking around. I had been laid out on the bleachers at the side of the gym.

"Yuki, you're up!" Teruyo cheered. I nodded. I had a feeling she hadn't left my side since I had fallen. Honey and Mori were by my side too, obviously not willing to leave me either.

"Did I fall?" I asked. Mori nodded. "Then, who caught me?"

"I belive you owe that favor to the wrestling team." Teruyo pointed to a buff-looking group of handsome boys. I shot a finger pistol and winked at the boy I knew to be captain, and he did the same back. I giggled. "How can it be that you almost died, and you're still so personable?"

"Oh, you're just jealous becaous you have a crush on the captain." I replied nonshalantly. Teruyo blushed profusely, especially when Honey and Mori shot her looks. I limply smacked at her arm when she turned away. "Clam down, Princess, I was kidding. You owe me money, by the way!" I held out my hand.

"Whatever, I guess I'm happy you're not dead," she cracked a smile and shoved the money into my open palm. The bell that signaled the end of class rang out. "Let's go."

* * *

I walked into the club room where I was met with the usual crowd, and a very cold-stared Hikaru. I sat on the couch across from him.

"Did you hear? I almost died today." Kaoru raised his head. Hikaru didn't even look up at me. Tamaki ran up and practically dragged me off of the couch, into a hug.

"My daughter! Don't move from this spot, don't ever put yourself in danger!"

"Oh, are you two just upset because I foiled your little plan?" I looked at the twins, but directed my question mainly to Hikaru. He glared at me. "Alright, fine, fine, you don't want to talk about it. Whatever." I got up and left to make tea for the girls.

After all the customers left I started searching a little table in the back of the room for the necklace I left on it a day before.

"Yuki, can I ask you a question?" Kyoya pulled me aside.

"Uh, sure? What's up?"

"Yesterday, I was trying to collect your physical exam records from your nurse, as I do with all of the hosts, and I was told that all of your records are confidential and protected under law. Why is this?" He looked at me with stern curiosity. As always, we had gathered the attention of the other hosts.

"Oh, uh..." _Not again! Why do they insist on digging through my life?_ "My brother is on the police force, and he requested that all of my family's records be protected when he moved away. I don't really understand why..." I lied, still trying to search for my necklace.

"How strange." Kyoya said, almost emotionless. _Please buy it! Please buy it!_

"Yeah, have any of you seen a necklace around here?" I asked, frantic now. I was skittering to all the tables looking under vases and on the floor. "It was a gold guitar pick with a butterfly punched through it. The cord broke so I put it back here a day or two ago. I found a new cord so I need the necklace to change it!"

"Now that I think about it," Kyoya flipped through his notebook, "one of the twins gave a necklace like that to me to sell on our website. Someone bought it last night."

Everyone looked at the twins. "You... sold it." I whispered, "Someone _bought it." _Tears blurred my vision. _I'm sorry Saburo... _

* * *

Kaoru

I glared hard at my brother. "Is this your idea of a prank? Selling her things without asking?" Yuki stared up at Hikaru with a look of pure disbelief. She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off before she could make any noise but a whimper. It was pitiful. "I went along with your plan this morning because I was hoping you would stop trying to prank Yuki. I didnt know you had done this behind my back! Why are you so hung up on messing with her?"

"Well, it's just common sense that you don't leave valuble things out where other people can take them."

Yuki cut in, "But, all of you are RICH! You don't need to steal my commoner shit!"

"I'm not done yet," Hikaru snapped, "I only took it to freak her out a little. I was going to take it off the site after a day. I didn't think anyone would want to buy her stuff, none of the customers even like her that much! And besides, why shouldn't we mess with her? She waltzed in here uninvited and now she acts like she owns the place! Why couldn't she just comply and be our toy like Haruhi is? Haruhi is a boring toy anyway, I wanted to liven things up!"

"An idle mind is the devil's workshop." Yuki muttered.

"See? See how snarky she is? She's rude, sacastic, and treats us like we're nothing!"

"I treat you you how you treat me; like a toy. It hurts doesn't it?" Yuki huffed.

"Yeah, Hikaru, she's no more rude, sarcastic, and snarky than the two of us are." I tried to reason with my brother.

"Oh, you only take her side because you're in love with her!" Hikaru pointed at Yuki accusingly. Sure, I thought Yuki was kind of cute, and she was really funny, but I was by no means in love with her!

"I am not! And besides, you have a flaming crush on Haruhi!" I shouted back at him.

"Gross! Why would you even say something like that?"

Tamaki ran up to us and shoved my brother and I onto two seperate couches. "Stop sexually harassing my daughters!" We didn't say another word to each other.

Haruhi walked to where Yuki was standing, "Why is this necklace so important?"

"You wouldn't understand, you don't get attatched to things." Yuki mumbled and turned away.

"What do you mean 'I don't get attatched to things'?"

"Like, material things don't have sentimental value to you."

"I value my possesions, if that's what you mean."

"I know you do, that's not what I'm talking about."

"Well then, what are you talking about? I know what it feels like to lose something important. I lost my mother."

"Oh, you can't play that card with me!" Yuki shouted randomly. I think we all gasped. _I didn't think Yuki could be so insensitive. _"I haven't seen my mom in eight years and you know it!" More gasps. _Oh..._

Yuki looked around at us. "Do you want to hear the story that Haruhi already knows? Want to hear about my family that you've been dying to know about? Well, fine! My father moved to America when I was seven. He took most of our money, so that's why I had to leave Ouran so quickly," she looked Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai in the eyes. She even glanced at Hikaru and I. "My mother followed suit with my newborn baby brother that I never got to meet. I haven't seen or spoken to my parents in eight or nine years. They could be dead and I wouldn't know.

"Now for the part that even Haruhi isn't aware of. When my mother left I was living with my older brother, Saburo. He and my sister practically raised me. But, one day my brother decided to move to America to try and track down my parents, which is why I had to leave middle school. He left my older sister Momoka and I in the care of the only person who could keep us. My father's misstress." She spat the words.

"My sister and I didn't learn that my father was an adulterer until we were bustled into his mistress' family. She has seven kids not including me or my sister, one of which is Zenko, that boy you met the other day. Kokuzo, Zenko, Arisa, Kaori, Kamiko, Yumiko, and Makoto. Kokuzo is the oldest. Then there's my sister and I. Then Zenko. Arisa and Kaori, twin girls. Kami and Yumi, also twin girls. And Makoto, the baby. All of us are from different fathers, and in my case, mothers. My sister ran away a few years ago, leaving just me and my step-siblings."

Somewhere the bell that ended school rang out.

"So, now you know. You know that I haven't spoken to any part of my biological family in over a year. Now you know I have to play mommy for some kids that aren't mine. Now you know that, not only am I a flithy commoner, but I come from an M.I.A family of fuck-ups..."

"I'm sorry," someone mumbled. It was Hikaru. What Yuki did next surprised everyone. She walked over and hugged him.

"Thanks, I'm sorry if I've been a bitch to you. You should tell me these things! Now figure out how to get my necklace back," she smacked him upside the head. _Typical Yuki._ I smiled faintly.

"I can help with that." A girl I recognized but didn't know her name swung door to the clubroom open. It was the lesbian girl from the Christmas party. The one Yuki had kissed. "I figured this was important to you because you wear it every day, so that's why I bought it. One, to fix it, but also to give it back!" The girl beamed and clasped the necklace around Yuki's neck.

"Tamami, oh my God thank you! I love you so much right now!" Yuki hugged her until she looked ready to crack. They talked and hugged for a while until Tamami had to leave.

"I'm gonna go too. Later guys!" Yuki waved as she skateboarded out of the room.

My brother flung himself next to me on the couch. "You so totally like her."

* * *

Arisa

"Quick, hide him! Hide him!" I yelled to Kaori. We had found an abandoned Corgi puppy on our way home from school. I figured since we take in kids with no home or family, why not animals too?

Yuki shouldered through the door and tossed her bag on the granite counter. "I blew my cover today," she huffed, "I swear that Host Club is the nosiest group of human beings alive!"

The dog whimpered. Yuki's head shot around. "What was that?" she asked.

"So you blew your cover? What happened?" Kaori tried to cover up the noise coming form the dog.

"Yeah, and I'd love to explain it, but first you have to explain why you're hiding a dog in our house."

I dropped my chin down to my chest. "We... We found him alone and hungry and we took him here because if we take in unwanted kids, why not unwanted dogs? Hell, you brought home that cat last month!"

Yuki brought home a stray she named Noell. It was a black short-haired, whose tail had been docked for reasons unknown.

"Yes, but I am the one who feeds and cares for the cat! You would be taking full responsibility of this puppy."

"We know, we know, just let us keep it! Please!" Kaori yelled, busy combing the mud out of the puppy's fur.

Yuki sighed. "Fine. Whatever. What are you going to call him?" She was using the baby voice she sometimes used when she talked to Mako. She scratched behind the puppy's ears.

Kaori looked to me and I nodded. "We were going to name him Fujio... After your little brother." Kaori said with a half-hearted smile. Yuki's eyes welled with tears.

"Oh, I love you guys so much!" And she pulled us into a hug.

"You seem fragile, what happened at school today?" I asked.

She sighed. "I was looking for my necklace, because one of the twins sold it. I got it back though, so everything's cool. Anyway I blew up at Haruhi for trying to make me feel bad that her mom had died, so I may have reminded her that I lost my mom too. All the guys got questioning so I made up some crap-story about how they all moved to America and I haven't seen them in years. It wasn't all lies, but certaintly not all truth. I also said that you guys were the children of my father's mistress, and that's why I call you all my step-siblings. It was really convincing, even to me." She looked pleased with herself, "I like my version better. It's not as tragic."

"Wow." Kaori and I said at the same time. It was that freaky thing all twins can do.

Zenko shouldered through the front door holding Mako on his hip. He had Kami and Yumi with him. He had just walked them all home from school. He looked to the puppy, then to Kaori, then me, then Yuki.

"Do we have a story for you," the three of us said at once. Then we laughed.

* * *

**AN: Oh. My. God! I'm so unbelievably, ridiculously, extremely SORRY! It's been like three week since I posted because I was in a play and it took up every ounce of my time! ;~; Anywho, how'd ya' like this? I switched it up with some other character's perspectives. I think I'm going to keep doing it! Thanks so much to every one who favorited, or followed, or reviewed or PMed me. I can't thank you all enough for you're support and I love hearing from you all! R&R, F&F! 'Till next chapter ~Yuki-mu **


	8. Chapter 8

**Broken Butterfly**

**Songs in the Jungle**

Honey

"Hey Takashi," I asked my cousin, "you know how Yuki said she had to leave Ouran Elementary when she was seven?" I looked up at my tall, silent, cousin. We were standing at the gates to the school, waiting for our limo. Takashi had just finished up a late kendo practice.

"Yeah."

I knew he had been thinking about her story too. "Well, that would mean that she left in the second grade. But she didn't, she left in the fourth grade. You remember? Because she left before she could see us graduate in the sixth grade. She was two years younger, right?" I hugged Usa-chan up to my chest. _Why is Yuki still lying to us?_

"Yeah. I noticed it too. She's still lying about her family, but I don't know why."

I nodded. "Should we tell the others, or ask her about it?"

"No," Takashi shook his head slowly, "I think she has a reason for lying. I think we'll find out soon enough."

"Well... Alright!" I smiled at him. _But it doesn't feel alright. She's not the same girl I was best friends with in elementary school. _And I knew Takashi was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Haruhi

Yuki and I were ushered into a girls changing room full of bathing suits. We were with the rest of the Host Club at one of the new Ootori spa resorts. "A little trip to relive the tension between club members," Kyoya had said as he looked at Yuki, the twins and I. Mostly Yuki. _I can't help but think that there are some flaws in her story, but I can't put my finger on them. Oh well, no sense worrying about it right now._ I shrugged to myself.

"Let us help you pick out a bathing suit!" Some of the twins' maids said in unison. They held up many different pretty, but incredibly revealing bathing suits. One was nothing more than some strings. I shot Yuki a nervous look that she returned.

"Um... I like this one." She pulled a two piece off of one of the racks. It was a cute floral-patterned tankini. It had a black boy-short bottom, and a halter top. It was one of the few less-revealing suits. "I'll see you on the outside Mika-ru!" She called as she went to change leaving me with the two creepy twin maids. _Oh brother._

I was sitting at a table with Kyoya and Yuki. Tamaki had me in a yellow sweatshirt and shorts because he didn't want me "showing my body to a bunch of creeps" or something like that. He tried making Yuki wear the same thing but she kindly refused. And by kindly refused, I mean she blatantly said no. You could hear him yelling about how she was "so disrespectful to her father."

"Look everyone! Watch this!" Honey-senpai shouted from the wave pool. He was riding on Mori-senpai's back, who was swimming against the current."Isn't it cool?" We all smiled and nodded.

"Hey Haruhi, Yuki, come swim with us! There's a really cool water slide over there!" The twins shouted.

"I don't really feel like swimming. I don't really like places like this." I said. Yuki nodded, "Me either. If you want to play in water a vinyl pool works just fine." We shrugged. Thus, the vinyl pool debate began. Yuki got bored trying to convince the twins that it wasn't a boat, and that it was something little kids played in during the summer. I did too and went to sit back at the table, while Tamaki and the twins fought with each other using water guns. Yuki sat at the edge of the wave pool and dipped her feet in. She smiled and laughed at Honey did tricks in the water.

Mori left the wave pool after swimming with Honey for a while. He walked towards the table shaking water out of his ears. "'You want something to drink?" I held up a glass of juice for him to take.

"Thanks." He said with a thin smile. We turned our heads in Tamaki's direction when we heard him smack into a tall post. We heard a rush of water.

"Honey, grab my hand! Quick!" Yuki screamed as she leaned over the edge of the wave pool. I stood up quick, the chair falling behind me. Mori dropped the glass and it clinked to the ground.

"Mitskuni!" He shouted as he headed towards the pool.

"Yuki, NO!" I screamed, but she and Honey were already long gone. Carried off by the waves. I ran to Kyoya and started shaking him. "Where does the wave pool end? We have to find them! Yuki can't swim! What if she drowns?" I groaned. I found myself almost hyper-ventilating. Kyoya put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. He looked at me and then at Mori.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way to get them back."

* * *

Yuki

I was pushed along rapidly with the current. For a long time I could feel Honey's hand in mine, but he slipped out of my grip as we rounded a corner. I managed to keep my head above water long enough to keep from drowning. I eventually grabbed hold of a low tree branch at the edge of the pool and pulled myself out. I coughed up some water that had gotten in my mouth and shook out the water from my ears. "Honey?" I shouted. "Haruhi? Mori? Kyoya? Anyone~?" My "anyone" echoed. It was eerie.

I wandered alone, shouting my friends' names. I walked past a pack of crocodiles, and decided maybe it would be better if I traveled by the trees. I climbed up one and skipped from branch to vine to vine to branch. It felt like I had be lost for hours. I wasn't hurt, thirsty, or hungry. Just lonely. I didn't like being alone. Lucky for me I wasn't alone for long. It had started raining hard, and as I stopped to rest on a tree branch, I felt a strange sensation along the small of my exposed back. I brushed my hand along it and into my hand fell the biggest, fattest, fuzziest spider I had ever seen in my life.

Now, like most girls, I had always been deathly afraid of spiders. Roaches, grasshoppers, scorpions, centipedes or anything else I could handle. Not spiders.  
I stared at it on my palm in shock. It stared back at me, probably with the same emotion. My muscles were tense, and from the depths of my body, the fragile, easily scared, stereotypical girly-girl inside of me screamed. I screamed loud enough to scare the spider right off of me. Loud enough to scare some birds out of the trees. I screamed like the girl I really was deep, deep, deep inside.

* * *

Haruhi

We were sheltered under a gazebo in the middle of the jungle. We all raised our heads as we heard a high-pitched scream.

"That was Yuki," panic was rising in my throat. "We have to find them!"

"I know, I have already called my family's police force. They have assembled a search party. They will be here any minute and will start searching at once." Kyoya assured me.

The rain had stopped and Mori had started pushing through the bushes. "Mori-senpai, the scream came from that way!" I called after him and pointed to the right. He didn't stop, so I shouted, "Wait for me!"

"Haruhi," he lifted me up and we started walking through the jungle. It was the first time he had said my name. I was shocked, and a little pleased. We walked, and I tensed every time I heard a bird call or animal noise.

"HALT!" Police officers charged out of the bushes. They all aimed their guns at Mori-senpai and I. "DROP THE BOY AND WE WON'T SHOOT!"

_They think _I'm _the little boy that they're looking for? That cant be good. Maybe I can reason with them?_ I opened my mouth to say something, when I heard, "Takashi, Haruhi, move out of the way!"

Honey came swinging in on a vine and landed in front of us. "Hey, step aside, Twirp!" An officer called.

Honey proceeded to beat the living daylights out of the officers and they groveled at his feet when they realized who he was. Apparently both the Haninodzuka and Morinodzuka families were huge martial arts idols with many dojos named for them.

The other hosts caught up with us soon enough. Tamaki grabbed me and hugged me tight, the twins joining in. I rolled my eyes. "Honey-senpai, are you alright?" I asked him, fighting my way out of the hug.

"I'm fine!" He beamed. "When I reached the end of the pool I decided to come look for you!" He walked to Mori and pulled him down to his level. He patted his head, "Good job taking care of Haruhi!"

"Thanks," he said in his monotone voice. He seemed less tense now that Honey was back, but I knew he was still worried about Yuki.

"Well, this is all well and good," Kyoya cut in, "but we're still short a host."

"Yuki isn't with you?" Honey asked, nervous.

"No, and we need to find her!" All of the action with Honey had distracted me from the fact that Yuki could very well be dead.

"I didn't know you could scream like that, Honey-senpai." The twins said in unison.

Honey looked at them confused. "I didn't scream. I thought that was Yuki?"

"If it wasn't you, then it _had _ to be her! Yes!" I resolved. _At least I know she hasn't drowned. _

As if on cue, we heard Yuki. Singing. Loud and sweetly, as if she wanted to be heard. Her beautiful voice held us all in our tracks; left us listening:

_"Thinking back to a time long ago,  
When everything was fine, just one big happy home.  
__And, all I could hear was the rain falling down.  
__So, I sang, and I sang as I burnt down the town._

_Now you're running for miles at a time,  
You never stop.  
But I can't see you sweat, no you can't feel a drop.  
__And, I wonder all the time if you'll ever see me cry.  
__But you sing, and you sing because you'll never die. _

_I've got nothing to see, I've got no where to go.  
I can only feel me and I'm losing hope.  
I don't want to talk to anybody else but the girl with the voice that sounds like bells.  
I just wanted to tell her:  
'Go to hell!'_

_Thinking down to a place up above,  
Where all they feel is hope and all they give is love.  
And I wonder if you're still there playing with the doves.  
Do you sing, do you sing or 'you just sigh and shrug? _

_I don't want to talk to anyone else, to anyone else,  
So just go to hell.  
I'm shaking my head and all I hear is bells.  
And all I see is Butterfly, standing by herself.  
_

_Oh, the stars and the snow, and it's all very cold.  
But it doesn't bother Butterfly, makin' it on her own."_

__Yuki dropped from a tree branch. "Yes! I finally found you guys! Thank God!" she cheered. She ran up and hugged each of us in turn. We were all still in awe that she could sing like that and be so cool about it.

I was the first to recover, "I thought you had drowned" I hugged her to me. "Yuki, why did you scream like that?"

"There was a big spider, and it freaked me out..." She looked ashamed, "Sorry if I scared you guys. I didn't mean to get lost like that, I just wanted to keep Honey from floating away!"

"Wait, let me get this straight," Kyoya started, "you're afraid of spiders," Yuki nodded, "but not of snakes?"

Tamaki screamed. "There, on you're ankle. A snake, someone get rid of it! Quickly, before it bites my daughter!"

"What?" Yuki looked down at her ankle, and lifted up a skinny green snake that was curled around it. "Who, this guy? He's harmless! I named him Washi! He's sweet!" She stroked him with her knuckles lovingly. "Bye-bye, Washi." She sighed as she let him loose on a tree branch. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

We all walked to the front gates of the facility.

"Hey, maybe next time we can go to the beach?" Asked the twins.

"You fools! Haruhi wouldn't be interested on somethi–" I cut Tamaki off.

"If it's the ocean, I'd like to see it." I told them. "Me too!" Yuki cheered.

"Then it's settled," Tamaki raised a princely finger, "next time, it's the beach!"

* * *

**AN: Look who didn't take for-freakin'-ever writing this chapter! This gal! *points to self* R&R, F&F, PM me anytime if you have questions or just want to chat! I love all of you! 'Till next chapter! ^w^ ~Yuki-mu **


	9. Chapter 9

**I Just Wanted to Help!**

**Broken Butterfly**

**AN: Every time I tried to write this chapter, it rained! Every. Single. Time. Ah Fate, thou art a sucker for irony. **

* * *

Yuki

"We're really going?" I asked.

"Of course! You two said you liked the beach!" The twins pointed to Haruhi and I.

"Yeah, but I didn't think we would go so soon!" I complained. It was useless, they had their little idea in their head. Resistance was futile.

We went to the Ootori Family's private beach in Okinawa because Haruhi and I didn't have passports to go somewhere out of the country. What I didn't expect is that Tamaki would bring customers.

"You okay, Yuki?" asked Teruyo. "Yeah, you keep zoning out," Tamami added. They had come along for the trip. They had become my only regulars in the club, and my bestfriends aside from the hosts themselves. They would request me because they knew it would help my debt, but also because they "had to protect me from those awful boys!" _When did I become friends with such raging feminists? _

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine just bored." I looked around and settled on the image of Haruhi searching for crabs and shellfish with Honey and Mori. Tamaki ran up to her with a big crab in his hands.

All of a sudden the girls around them were screaming. I saw Haruhi lift something off of the crab. It was a centipede. She pulled her arm back, readying to throw it.

"WAIT! DON'T KILL IT!" I screamed. I grabbed it out of Haruhi's hand and cupped it in mine. "Are you all bloody insane? It's just defenseless bug!"

"I thought you were afraid of bugs?" Tamaki looked at me with a confused expression.

"No, I'm afraid of spiders, because spiders are not bugs. Spiders are the nightmares of children given a tangible form. Think about it! There is not a creature on this Earth that should have more than two eyes!"

"What about scorpions? Or Mantises?" Haruhi asked.

"I'm aware. I hate them too. They're just nightmares in another form." I raised my head and walked away, holding the centipede close to my chest. I passed the table on my way to the garden where I intended to let it go. Teruyo gave me a weird look.

"What was that all about?" Tamami asked. "Why are you cuddling a bug?"

"Because," I huffed, "someone has to look out for the little ones!" I stroked the back of the centiped lightly with my finger. "I take pity on the things that everybody takes for granted."

_"_Well then, why don't you join our game?" The twins asked with a wicked grin. The other boys had gathered around. "It's called the 'Find Haruhi's Weakness Game'."

"Why would we do that?" I asked in reply. I released the centipede and brushed my hands together. "Why do you have to harass her looking for her fears?" _I already know them anyway. _

"Because if she doesn't have a weakness she has to be disqualified from the position of Herione!" I rolled my eyes. _  
_

"And," Kyoya added, "winner gets these photos of Haruhi in middle school."

"Where did you get those?" I asked accusingly. "That's creepy. In fact, you're all creepy. Maybe its a blessing in disguise that you brought customers. I don't know how much of you boys I could handle alone." Teruyo and Tamami got up from the table and we walked toward the beach.

"I think those feminist, lesbian girls are a bad influence on her." I heard Tamaki whisper as I walked away. _You're the one who wanted me to be a lesbian, remember? _I smirked.

* * *

I was sitting on a big rock with Teruyo, Tamami and some customers. Were enjoying the breeze and the glittering ocean, when some uninvited guests came and crashed our party. There were three college-age boys.

"Hey look, some rich chicks!" One of the boys cheered, he had a beer in his hand. Another grabbed a customer inappropriately, making her scream. Teruyo, being as tall as the boy himself, pulled at his collar.

"Hey, leave her alone!" she said, forcefully pulling him away from the girl. Another boy grabbed Teruyo's ass. She swung around and slapped him in the face. "Hands off, Bastard!"

Out of nowhere, Haruhi climbed up and threw a bucket of sharp sea urchins and clams on the boys. They swung around and one of them grabbed Haruhi by the arms. "Look at what we have here. A little Pisqueak." One of the guys said. "Yeah, he looks like a little girl. So weak," another agreed. I could see Haruhi struggling in their grasp.

"Get them out of here!" I yelled to Tamami and Teruyo. They bustled the other girls away. I saw the hosts running toward us from the other side of the beach. "You," I turned to the boy who was struggling to hold Haruhi, "LET GO OF HIM!" I swung my foot up high and hard. I hit him square in the neck. He released Haruhi forcefully. Too forcefully.

She stumbled backward, lost her footing, and fell off the edge of the rock. Her eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. I screamed as I watched; able to do nothing.

Luckily a strong pair of arms was there just in time to catch her. _Takashi Morinodzuka, you are my savior. _

_"_Why didn't you run like the other girls?" one of the boys asked as he came towards me, a menacing grin on his face. I separated my feet in a fighting stance, twitching my fingers.

"Because I'm not like the other girls." I kneed him in the crotch. "I won't have a problem kicking the crap out of you!" I took his head and shoved it toward the ground.

One guy who was standing behind him lunged for me. He grabbed me by the wrist and put his hand on my chest. I responded by quickly slamming my foot on one of his, making him stumble back. I swung my fist in a high arc, meeting with his jaw.

The one who threw Haruhi over the edge stumbled toward me. At first he looked almost nervous. Then, his face changed. A wicked smile crept across it. It was horribly unsettling.

All of a sudden two arms that were as big around as my head grabbed me, one wrapped under my arm, the other around my neck. "A bad girl like you deserves a swim." He nodded to his friends and dragged me toward the edge of the rock that over looked the ocean. My bare feet were scraping across the rough rocks painfully. His nails were digging into my arm.

He dangled me by one arm over the dark water. _The water wasn't dark an hour ago. I hope it's not cold._

"'Hope the water's nice." He grinned and dropped me.

The water was cold. Especially as it rushed into my nose and mouth.

* * *

I opened my eyes and caughed up water. Tamaki passed me to Mori and I was wrapped in a towel. There were no customers around. Just the hosts and their particularly miffed king. "Kyoya, please call a doctor." Tamaki said, his eyes focused on the ground, cold.

"No, I reached for Kyoya's arm, "I don't need a doctor." He looked at me and clicked his phone shut.

"Do you two know you almost got yourselves killed? Why did you do that? Why didn't you call us, we were right here the whole time!" Tamaki was looking from me to Haruhi, waiting for one of us to say something.

"Are you martial arts masters Like Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai?" We shook our heads. "No. You're girls trying to take on four grown men by yourselves, it's crazy! When did you get off being so foolhardy?"

"Boy, girl, what difference does it make?" Haruhi said bitterly. "When someone is in trouble, you don't have the opportunity to think about these things." I nodded in agreement.

"Well you should still think about it, Stupid!" Tamaki yelled. I cringed. He had never called Haruhi stupid before.

"I'm sorry that you had to come save me, but I wasn't just going to sit back and play damsel in distress!" I shouted, looking hard at Tamaki. "You saw me! I was doing fine on my own! It was only until that fourth guy showed up..."

"Exactly! And then what happened? You almost drowned. And because of you, Haruhi almost fell to her death, you idiot!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" I screamed, my breath coming in fast bursts. I felt like I may have a panic attack

"That wasn't her fault she was trying to help me. You can't blame this all on Yuki."

"Well fine, you two can just do whatever you want! I'm not talking to either of you until you apologize!"

"Apologize for what? For being a girl? For doing what was right? For trying to help my friends?" There were tears in my eyes as I screamed at him. "I can't believe you'd blame me for Haruhi falling! I was genuinely trying to help!" I struggled from Mori's hold and he set me on the sand.

"Agh!" I screamed as the dozens of small cuts on the soles of my feet opened again. I let the tears I was suppressing flow freely, now. Mori made like he was going to lift me up again but I pushed his arm away from me. "I don't understand why you're giving me such a bullshit double-standard. It would have been fine if any of you guys did what I did, but since I'm a girl I'm wrong? Is it because you feel like less of a man now that you saw your tiny '_daughter_' kick the crap out of three grown men? That we're not the frilly little dolls you wanted? Well, I don't care! I'm not apologizing!" I turned and took a few steps towards the house, crying out in pain as sand stuck in my wounds.

"Bloody fuck!" I lifted my foot to brush out some of the sand. The bottom of my feet were torn by the rocks and little spots of blood were dripping from a few of the cuts. "I wish I _had_ drowned!" I fumed. I made my way to the house, wincing and cringing at every step, Kyoya following in my wake.

* * *

I was sitting in the window seat of the common area with the hosts. Tamaki was moping in a corner. Kyoya was no where to be found. A maid he had on hand helped me bandage my feet, which I then slipped into fluffy socks and then into a pair of old, no longer white, slipper-boots.

Drizzling rain spattered the window. I started humming, pulling out the loose threads on my boys-department shorts. Un-snapping and re-snapping my purple plaid over-shirt, my white camisole showing through underneath.

My humming slowly turned to quiet singing:

_"It's a muggy Tuesday._

_The sound of someone dropping change._

_When the ribbons in your hair fray. _

_The dust under the window panes._

_I know it may seem scary, and I know its not much fun. _

_But, Babydoll, you can't stay afraid of the rain."_

_"_That was pretty, Yuki-mu! What song was that?"

"Its just something my mom used to sing to me when it rained. I was afraid of thunder storms until I was like... Ten." I replied. I shook my head, "Do you remember in elementary school, I would used to have to sit in the nurse's office when it rained." I smiled. "Oh, nostalgia."

Honey giggled. "That was you?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh yeah, you guys were in my grade!"

"Wow, I almost feel bad for making fun of her now," Kaoru smirked. I picked up a pillow off the window seat and chucked it at his head. I threw another at Hikaru. Haruhi ducked under it as she walked into the room. It barely skimmed her head. She was decked out in a nice puffy dress.

"Sorry, Mika-ru!" I apologized.

Everyone started gushing about how Haruhi looked so cute, effectively pissing off Tamaki. He got a nosebleed just looking at her. _Subtle._

"What are you all doing in here?" she asked.

"Reminiscing," I grinned, "about elementary school and what big jerks the twins were. Do you remember middle school, how we always used to hum the Rain Song in class?"

"Of course," Haruhi smiled at me. I returned it.

Kyoya walked in, "Dinner is ready if you are." He pushed up his glasses with two fingers.

"Well, this is uncomfortable." Kaoru admitted.

Dinner was deathly cold. At least the aura of it was. Tamaki kept glaring daggers at me, which I gladly returned. He slid his hand toward the pile of crab legs near Haruhi. Quick as lightning she stabbed at his hand with a crab claw. Every time he inched near her she stabbed. Suddenly he yelled, "Between you two, you could be the twins!"

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" We said in perfect unison, much like the twins always did. It was spooky to say the least.

"Well fine! I'm going to bed!" He pushed his chair back. Hand on the door handle he turned, "Kyoya? Not gonna go to bed?" He mumbled, his knuckles tracing his lips like a nervous child. Kyoya pushed his chiar back and glanced at the watch on his wrist. He sighed. "I'll take you to your room."

"Haruhi, don't eat so fast, you'll get a stomach ache." Hikaru scolded.

We were all startled by a loud trilling noise. "Will you excuse me a moment?" I pushed away from the table. I shoved my hand in my pocket and fished out my cell phone.

I walked to the side of the room and stood behind one of the tall marble pillars.

**_Incoming call from: Home_**

_Splendid._ I flipped it open, "Hello?"

"Yuki! Thank God!" Zenko's voice crackled from the other side. "Mako is sick. Like vomiting sick. Where do you keep the medicine?"

"Oh, gross!" I spun a circle around the pillar with one hand. The hosts were all hugging Haruhi. _I wonder what's up with them? _

"Okay, go into the bathroom, in the closet behind the door, and look on the top shelf. In a blue basket. There should be a white bottle, the stuff that kind of smells like peppermints. Read the label and make sure that it matches all of his symptoms, then make sure you read the dosage and don't give him to much."

My eyes were focused on the wide window behind the hosts. The rain wasn't letting up. Far off in the distance I saw a thin, silent strip of lightening. My shoulders visibly tensed.

"Okay, thanks!" Zenko crackled and then the call clicked off. I snapped the phone shut. I looked to the hosts. They looked to me expectantly.

"What?" I searched their faces for some sign of what I was supposed to do or say.

"Yuki, you should apologize." Honey said, swinging my arm back and forth.

"For what? This is dumb I didn't do anything to you all! I didn't do anything wrong, why are you all still hounding me about this?"

A memory flashed through my head.

_I was young, ten or eleven. A tall shadowy figure who reeked of alcohol towered over me. He was clearly drunk. "You stay out of my buisness!" He screamed. He had been out for hours after he told me he was coming home. He left to go visit the graveyard, but when he left he didn't have any liquor. He must have picked it up on the way. I chewed him out for being out past curfew. I was just worried about him, I didn't mean to upset him. He meant so much to me. He swung his cold hand down and slapped me hard aross the face. He had never done anything like that before. Ever. Tears welled in my eyes. I screamed for my sister, but she was already asleep. He lifted me up and carried me to my room. He tossed me in and locked my door from the outside. I cried myself to sleep that night. And, many more after that._

"Yuki! _Yuki!_" Haruhi shouted. Mori had a hand on my shoulder and was shaking me gently. Honey still had hold of my arm and was shaking it not-so-gently.

"That was weird." Hikaru resolved. "Yeah, you got all quiet and your eyes went wide and glazed over. You started whimpering and whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over again." Kaoru explained.

"I don't know what came over me..." I looked around. "What were we talking about?"

"How you should apologize." The twins stated flatly.

"Oh... No. I've said it once and again, I didn't do anything worth apologizing for!"

"Yes you did!" Honey squeaked, he started squeezing my hand. "You made us all worried. You almost died. I thought I was going to loose one of my very best friends." He whispered that last part.

"I didn't almost die." I laid my forehead in my hand.

"You drowned and hit your head on the way down." Mori said flatly.

"I hit my head? When? Where?"

"You haven't looked in a mirrior since you fell have you?" The twins assumed.

I shook my head. I slowly made my way to a mirror hanging on the wall on the far side of the room. Upon seeing my reflection, I noticed an ugly purple bruise tracing my jawline. There was also a big red splotch over my left temple. _Why don't I remember this_?

I looked to the host club. My chin sunk to my chest. I didn't cry, though. For the first time, I didn't cry. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. I turned to the door before anyone could hug me. I left to find my room.

* * *

Honey

Lightning struck and thunder rumbled. It was pretty scary. "It's raining pretty hard, isn't it Takashi?" I asked my cousin.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Maybe we should go check on Yuki? She seemed pretty upset when she left."

"We'll go check on Haruhi, you guys go check on Yuki," the twins decided. So we all rose to our feet and walked down the long hallway in opposite directions; the twins to the right and Takashi and I, left. We walked in silence. No talking, none of the humming or singing that we had gotten used to when we walked with Yuki. Just our echoing footsteps.

We stopped at the door we knew was Yuki's. We knew mainly because she had left her boots outside of the door. I looked to my cousin, who nodded as usual, and I knocked a couple times. After getting no response, I slowly opened the door. The lights were off and the only sounds were from the storms outside. I thought Yuki was sleeping, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I knew that she wasn't.

She was curled up in a ball in the middle of her bed, quaking. I stepped into the room with Takashi following after me. "Yuki?" I asked, "Are you okay?"  
Her head poked out from under the covers like a turtle. Her red hair was static-y and knotted. Her normally bright, happy eyes were red and teary. Her cheeks were splotchy from crying and her voice cracked when she spoke.

"H– Honey? Is that you? And, Mori?" She whimpered. A flash of lightning lit up the room with white light for a split-second. Yuki squealed and threw herself back under the covers. I could hear her sniffling. I walked to the far side of her bed and crawled up to the edge. Takashi sat on the other side. I gently pulled back the covers. There she was curled in a tight little ball. She had on blue pajama pants with little smiling whales on them. She was wearing a old, red, button-down shirt that looked like it could fit Takashi, but not someone Yuki's size. She was clutching a stuffed seal. It was dirty and looked like it used to be white but was now a faded yellow color. Even in all of her misery, she was adorable.

"Yuki," I said gently. She looked up at me with teary eyes. "Are you still afraid of thunder storms?" She nodded slowly, a tear rolling down her cheek.

More lightning. She covered her eyes and tensed her muscles. Takashi placed a hand on her her back. "Its okay," he said, "we won't leave until its over."

She grabbed his hand. Flash. She practically threw herself into his lap, squealing. Her cheek was pressed against his arm and she started quaking again.

I crawled closer to her and placed my Usa-chan near her Azara-chan. She flinched at first, but then she opened her eyes. She held Usa-chan near her and took my hand. She closed her eyes again and her breath slowly returned to normal.

Takashi and I. We stayed there with her, though the lightning and the thunder, promising to protect her like we always said we would. In a way being with her like that made up for not being able to be there for her on the beach. I didn't ever want to lose her. She and Takashi were my best friends. We stayed there, in her room, in the dark until she fell asleep. Until the rain passed.

* * *

**AN: Yay! New chapter! And for those of you who have asked, I have decided to sing the songs from the story on YouTube! So for those of you who wished to know how the songs are supposed to be sung, the link is on my profile! Thanks for everyone's support, especially VeeVeeVengeance! And, thanks to SketchedLyrics who gave me the idea to sing them so everyone could hear them! ^w^ R&R, F&F, and PM ! I love you guys! 'Till next chapter! ~Yuki-mu**


	10. Chapter 10

**Broken Butterfly**

**Groceries and Boyfriends**

**Yuki**

"We need shampoo." Arisa called from the end of the aisle. She and Kaori turned around the corner.

"Get three bottles" I shouted, "and tooth paste for Kami and Yumi!" I grabbed four boxes of generic ramen off of the shelf. We bought everything in surplus since we had to feed so many. I put the boxes into the grocery cart that Zenko was pushing. Mako was sitting in the basket's seat, burbling happily, a stuffed bear in his hands. I kissed his forehead and smiled as he giggled. Yumi bounded to the cart holding a bag of apples and I picked her up so she could place it in. Kami strolled along behind her, swinging her arm back and forth with her fist clenched, like she was holding someone's hand.

"Kami, why are you walking like that?" I asked, lowering Yumi.

"That's Jaku." Yumi explained to me. "Kami met him by the apples. I turned around and back again and there he was! I can't see him and neither can she but she says he's really there, talking to her and everything." She shrugged. I looked to Kami who nodded, a big grin on her face. I shot Zenko a sideways glance.

"I can't believe we get to go to a commoners grocery store!" I heard an all-too-familiar voice shout. "Gentlemen, treat this as a learning experience!"

I gave Zenko a horrified look. He just stared. Kaori and Arisa turned the corner with arm-fulls of shampoo and toothpaste. "Do you know those guys?" They asked.

"How many were there?" I asked them. My fingers were twitching.

"The market closest to my house was closed. I don't usually shop here, so I don't know where anything is." I heard Haruhi's voice.

"Uh, seven," Kaori recalled, "they all looked like high school boys."

"Is that the Host Club you've been telling us about?" Arisa asked excitedly. "They were _cute_!"

"Shh! They can't know I'm here!" I whispered furiously.

"Why not?" Yumi asked. The other girls nodded.

"Yeah, you said you already blew your cover. They know we exist, they even know our names." Zenko added.

"I know, it's not that. I know these guys and Tamaki and the twins in particular are going to want to come to our house. If you don't recall, our house is a _foster home_." I hissed.

The girls shrugged. We wheeled the full cart over to the checkout, with me constantly checking over my shoulder to see if the hosts were anywhere near. The lady who checked us out was familiar with the family. I handed her the debit card we used to pay for groceries. She smiled at me, her salt-and-pepper bun falling out in the back. I baby-sat her two sons for money one summer. They were a sweet family.

She handed me back the card and my receipt. I lifted Mako out of the seat and we took the bags of groceries outside to wait for our ride home. It was windy and cool. It made me wish I had a jacket as the goosebumps were rising on my arms. "When is Kuzo going to be here?" Yumi whined.

"If he even remembered that he has to come pick us up," Arisa mumbled. I laughed a little under my breath. I heard the little bell on the door tinkle as a customer left the store. Or a Host Club.

"Yuki, is that you?" Kyoya asked, pushing up his glasses and scribbling in his notebook. Something inside of me wanted to guess that he was taking down the descriptions of my siblings. I bounced Mako higher on my hip and pushed my windy bangs back.

"Is this Mako?" Haruhi asked. "He looks like you."

"He's cute!" Honey decided.

"Thanks," I plastered on a smile. My teeth chattered a bit as another gust of wind passed. And with it came my ex-boyfriend.

"Hey, Yuki," a boy with a flat-billed baseball cap and shorts that sat too low on his hips rolled up on his skateboard. His dusty brown hair swept to one side.

"What do you want Masashi?" I snapped.

"Oh are you still mad at me?" He brushed his bangs back, "You should really learn to let things go. It's been a year."

"I should learn to 'let things go'? Things like what? Like the fact that you tried to get me to have sex with you in high school? How you banged my best friend? How you cheated on me with _six_ other girls while we were dating?" I shook my head incredulously, "I should just, 'let that go'?"

"How does it feel to still be a virgin?" He asked quickly, to avert the blame back to me.

"Great! How does it feel to have an STD?" I smirked. He looked at me with wild eyes.

"How do you know about that?" _Wow, he's not even going to deny it. What did I ever see in this idiot?_

"The triplets told me." He looked shocked. "Yeah, you didn't think I still talked to them did you? Well, I do. We're thinking about starting a band this summer." I looked to the sky and stroked an imaginary beard. "It's a shame. You probably can't even _spell_ STD."

"I... Uh... Don't make me spell things!" He shouted. I laughed loudly.  
He sauntered over to Kaori and Arisa. "Who are these pretty things?" He asked, hand on his hip. Zenko took a defensive step forward.

"If you go anywhere near them, so help me God, I will feed your entrails to my cat." I hissed. Masashi raised his arms defensively and took a step back.

"Alright, alright. Fine." He looked the Host Club over. The twins and Tamaki had disgusted looks on their faces. "Yuki, 'these pretty boys with you?"

"Yes, they are my friends. Real friends." I bounced Mako on my hip, him making little growling noises, raising his bear to my face. I kissed the top of his head.

"One of 'em your boyfriend," He looked from me to Mako. "or your baby-daddy?"

"This is my little brother, you pervert! And n–" I was cut off by Kaori.

"Yes one of them _is _her boyfriend! It's... Mori-senpai! The really tall one!" She cheered. I looked at her with wide eyes as I picked up my jaw off the floor. I looked to Mori, who returned the expression but quickly recovered. Masashi looked at Kaori, then to me, then to Mori.

Mori took his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders. He then placed his hands on my shoulders protectively. I could see stunned looks from the other hosts. _Hell, I didn't know Mori was such a good actor. 'Wish I could say the same for myself. _"Yeah, and Mori-senpai does a whole bunch of martial arts so he could, like totally kick your ass!" Arisa added with enthusiasm. She even made punching motions.

Masashi glared at all of us in turn. He hopped back on his skateboard. "Fine," he huffed, "but you're gonna miss me."

"Oh get out of here, you whore!" I glared back at him as he rolled away down the street. I took off Mori's jacket and handed it out to him. "Thanks." I smiled.

"No, keep it. You're cold." he said and handed it back to me. "I can get it back later." I smiled at him and slipped it back on, the sleeves dangling far past my hands.

"Who _was_ that?" Tamaki asked. He pulled me into one of his fatherly death grips.

"That was my ex-boyfriend, Masashi Eda. He still wonders why I broke up with him when everything I said was true. Right down to him not being able to spell STD." I laughed.

The twins looked to me over Tamaki's shoulders. "Are you and Mori-senpai really... _Dating_?" They whispered.

I looked up at Mori and pushed up the sleeves of his jacket. "Gross no!" I giggled and elbowed him gently. He smiled down at me and nudged me back.

"Yeah."

"I wonder if Mori-senpai is out for my position as Yuki's Daddy?" Tamaki whispered to the twins.

I shook my head."Sorry, Sire, no one wants that position but you." He looked at me sheepishly. I turned to Mori, "Sorry to put you on the spot. I guess I owe that favor to my _darling sisters. _What do you say?" I beckoned to them.

"Sorry Mori-senpai. But, yours was the first name I remembered." Kaori admitted.

"Yeah, Yuki's told us _all_ about _all_ of you!" Arisa sent me a sly grin.

"So you talk about us?" The twins hovered over my shoulders. Mako tried grabbing at Kaoru's hair. Kaoru tapped his nose lightly making him giggle. "Why don't we go back to your house so you can talk about us some more."

"You're being creepy. And, no, you're not coming to our house." I blew my bangs from my face.

"C'mon, Yuki!" The girls pleaded. "I like these guys." Arisa added, winking at Hikaru. He winked back.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. Don't go getting any ideas!" I pressed my palm to my forehead. "Like I don't get enough of this at school!"

"Please, Yuki?" I felt tugging on my shirt. It was Yumi. I hadn't realized that she had been talking to Honey this entire time. She was holding Usa-chan carefully in her arms.

I sighed. "Fine! At six, meet me by the dead willow tree at the corner of Seventeenth and Fifth."

Kyoya pushed up his glasses, "Is there a reason we can't drive right up to your house?"

"Yeah, my neighbors have never seen fancy cars, and I'm pretty sure most of them are drug dealers or something," I shrugged. "Anyway, I wouldn't want them coming up with the false ideas that we have anything worth stealing. Are you sure you all still want to come?" I gave them a wicked smile. They all nodded their heads, some more reluctantly than others.

"Splendid." I looked to the street where a dirty, old van pulled up at the curb. Zenko trotted over and flung the trunk door open. I opened the back door and buckled Mako into his car seat. I climbed into the passenger seat and the kids finished putting the groceries in the back. Yumi handed Usa-chan back to Honey, thanking him.

"Who are those guys?" Kuzo asked. The kids all buckled in and we started off down the street.

"Wait, wait," I held up my hand to pause him. "Breathe." I commanded. He hurred at the air in front of him. It didn't smell of liquor so I let him proceed.

It was a love-hate relationship with Kuzo. He only really bothered me while he was drunk. All the other times he was almost brotherly. Too bad those times were few and far between.

"Those are my friends." I leaned my arm against the window. All the girls waved to the hosts. "How many people do you think we can fit at our dining room table?" I asked, distracted by the oncoming dinner I had to cook.

Kuzo gave me a funny look. "Nevermind," I sighed and he drove us home.

* * *

"Where do we keep the screwdriver in this house?" I screamed to no one in-particular from the kitchen. "Arisa! Kaori! Come here!" I heard them come pounding down the stairs.

"Can you help me make dinner? We have to feed, let's see... There are seven of us, and seven of them... And maybe Kuzo and Natsumi? So sixteen?" Looked at them with pleading eyes.

"You can count on us!" Arisa cheered, her usual happy-go-lucky self. She looped her arm through her sister's and tugged. Kaori sighed.

"Good!" I nodded and left to hunt for a screwdriver.

I finally found one in a junk drawer in the garage. _ I should have looked here first..._ I shook my head. _Whatever. _ I cut through the front yard to the door and focused my gaze on the brass plaque above the doorbell. "Rikatuji's Home for Children in Need", I whispered with disdain. "Not tonight you aren't," and I unscrewed the four screws that held it in place. I shoved the screws into my jeans pocket and shouldered through the door, plaque in hand. I tossed it onto the desk in my room. I put the screws with it. As I closed my door I noticed the little brass "4" screwed into the wood. I looked down the hall at the other doors. There were the numbers one through three. Even a little "B" on the bathroom door.

_Have these always been here? I wonder why I never noticed them? It makes this place seem more like and institution and less like a home. Blah, I'm taking them off._ And, so I did. My work was done.  
I hoped that those were the only signs that this was an orphanage.

I checked the clock on the wall. "5:49", it read. Almost time to meet the club.

I walked into Kami and Yumi's room. "Hey you two, the guys will be here soon." Yumi looked up from her coloring book and smiled. Kami was sitting near the window, whispering behind her hand to the space in front of her. "Kami, will you brush your hair?" I asked her, a pleading smile on my face. She shook her head.

"She says that Jaku likes her better when her hair isn't brushed." Yumi sighed and layed her head in her hand. She covered the side of her face to where Kami couldn't see her mouth and whispered, "I wish Jaku would go home..."

"Me too. Kami, I think Jaku needs to go back home for the night, okay." I said. She nodded reluctantly.

"Thanks, Doll!" I called on my way out. I snuck into the kitchen to see what the girls had done for dinner and was met with the salty smell of ramen. The kind we buy in surplus from the grocery store. Arisa turned with a pot in her hands.

"Look! Dinner's done," she beamed. I looked. Oh, I looked. But, all I saw was ramen. Multiple pots full of chicken flavored generic ramen.

"Ramen? You made _ramen_? You do realize that our guests are rich kids, right?"

"Yeah, but what will they really expect from us? They know we're commoners! Big whoop if we don't have fancy food to serve!" Kaori complained, pulling a pot off of the stove.

"That doesn't mean they won't bitch about it," I mumbled and grabbed the door knob. I remembered I was still wearing Mori's jacket, so I grabbed one of mine off of a hook by the door and traded it with his.

I stepped outside into the windy evening and hightailed it to the corner of the block. I arrived just as their cars were driving up the street. I casually leaned against the old, dead willow on at the corner. It used to be my favorite climbing tree when I was younger.

Tamaki and Haruhi were the first to step out. Then Honey and Mori, the twins, and Kyoya from their respective cars. We began walking to the house when Kyoya casually said, "You know, I was doing some research on this area, solely out of curiosity. I found that a house on this street was once an orphanage. I was wondering if it was your home?"

_Why does he have to be so damn perceptive? _I cried in my mind. "Mmhm," I nodded,"My... Mo– Uh, Natsumi bought it when my sister and I came along. Gotta have somewhere to put ten people." I shrugged. Kyoya nodded as if this answer satisfied him. I was cursing him over and over in my mind.

I shouldered through the front door and led the hosts inside. Tamaki's head perked up. "Is that ramen?"

"Yup!" Arisa cheered.

"Sorry we don't really have anything else." Kaori shrugged. I winced.

"That's alright, right boys?" Tamaki assured us. The guys nodded. Kami and Yumi, upon hearing new voices, ran into the room, Kami a bit less excitedly than Yumi. Yumi ran straight up to Mori, "Wow," she looked up at him, almost falling over in the process. "You're really tall!" She giggled and he smiled down at her.

Kami, on the other hand, opted to hide behind my legs. She said nothing, which was unusual to say the least. She was normally as loud and outgoing as her sister. _She hasn't spoken since she met that "Jaku" apparition... Thing. Or, whatever it_ _is. _

Tamaki turned on the charm. "What's the matter, Princess?" Tamaki said endearingly. He bent down on one knee; down to her eye-level and produced a red rose from his jacket. _How the hell does he _do_ that?  
_"You don't have to be afraid of us," he assured her. He could be really sweet when he wasn't such a narcissist.

Kami cautiously let the Host Club King place the rose behind her ear. She smiled as he told her, "you look beautiful, Princess." He kissed her tiny hand and stood back up.

"Are we gonna eat or what?" Zenko asked as he stepped in from the hallway. He had Mako on his hip. We all chuckled a bit and I started pouring ramen into individual bowls. Haruhi helped me make tea and set the table even though I assured her she didn't have to.

We were all sitting down when Kuzo thumped down the stairs from his room and into the kitchen. He was stunned to see so many people, but a look of realization passed his face and he grabbed his jacket off of the hook. "I'm going out." He called as he turned the doorknob.

"Be back before four." I reminded him.

"Fine, _Mom._" He rolled his eyes and opened the door. He walked out and Natsumi walked in. They averted their eyes from each other as they passed.

Natsumi in all of her work-clothed glory. Her thick makeup perfectly concealing her age. Her hair that curled at the ends matched her burgundy, two-piece suit. She stepped inside, heels clicking on the floor.

"Oh, hello boys I don't know?" she said a bit startled by the odd mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Kyoya backed his chair up and stood to greet her.

"Hello, Miss Natsumi, is it? I am Kyoya Ootori, vice-president of the Ouran High School Host Club. It's a pleasure to meet you and your family. Thank you very much for allowing us to be a part of your daughters life." He bowed. She looked at his with an expression of pure disbelief.

"An Ootori? Like the medical company?" Natsumi's greedy brown eyes glittered as Kyoya kissed her hand. "And such a charmer." She covered her grin with a hand.

I smacked my palm to my forehead and groaned. "You don't have to lay it on so thick. Both of you." Natsumi grabbed a bowl off of the counter and seated herself at the head of the table, me to her right and Kyoya to her left. The night went on without a hitch. Natsumi and Kyoya discussed business. Honey was laughing and making faces at Mako, making him giggle. Mori and I kept meeting each other's eyes awkwardly. Haruhi and Zenko discussed classes and honors things. Yumi didn't hesitate to tell anyone who would listen about her plans to join the army or be a police officer. She told Tamaki about how Kami's always wanted to be a princess. The twins, both the Hitachiins and the Nishimuras (Kaori and Arisa), traded pranking tips and ideas and loudly discussed plans they were creating to trick me. I provided my two-cents where ever I felt it necessary.

"Yeah, you should have _seen _Yuki when we got home. She was _so_ excited that you all would be joining us. She couldn't wait to see you all again. She was gushing about how great you all are and how much she lo–" Arisa ended with a squeal as I raised a chopstick and aimed it like a dart at her. I refrained myself from throwing it, luckily.

"I did not!" I made a face at her that she returned. We all laughed. Eventually empty ramen bowls piled up in the sink and on the counter. Zenko helped me clean dishes while the hosts did what they do best; entertain the girls.

"You're really fond of these guys, aren't you?" Zenko whispered, handing me a bowl to be rinsed. I looked over my shoulder at the happy scene. Both of my foster families in the same room. All of my friends. It was surreal. And a bit creepy.

"Yeah," a thin smile on my lips, "yeah I do. They are really nice people. They are like a family to me. Like you are." I rested my head on my little step-brother's shoulder. I sighed.

_ I just hope these families don't end up like the last one... _ I shuddered at a chill that swung down my spine.

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry, I went on what some may call a short hiatus. I apologize for not warning** **ya'll! It's final exam week and I've been stressin'. By the way, what's up with Kami? Weird... Anyway, R&R, F&F, PM me! I love you all! ~Yuki-mu ^w^**


	11. Chapter 11

**Broken Butterfly**

**The Red Maiden**

**AN: I'm just going to flat-out apologize for taking so damn long with this update. I had to finish exams and I just curled up and died for a week and it took me this long to get back into 'let's-get-shit-done-mode'. I needed that. Okay... Proceed:**

**Yuki**

"We don't even know where they _sell_ commoner's coffee." The twins insisted.

"I could draw you a map. You two could use some real-world experience." I huffed.

"But, you two are the Host Club's dogs remember? This is your job." Kyoya reminded us. I looked to Haruhi, who was going to go with me.

"The Host Club's dog? More like your bitch..." I mumbled unhappily.

"Hey!' Tamaki shouted. He pointed a princely finger at me, "There's no need for your vulgar wordplay. My daughters are going to buy instant coffee and that's that!" He turned Haruhi around and pushed us toward the door.

"But, I was working on a song!" I whined and looked longingly at the guitar on the windowsill.

"It's fine, I'll go alone," Haruhi sighed. She pushed through the door.

"Thanks, Mika-ru!" I shouted my middle school nickname for her and waved at the closing door. I turned on my heel and was struck with the looks of a disapproving Host Club. "What? I'm working! Don't look at me like that, she offered!"

"You know," Kyoya pushed his glasses up, "you still owe us money. You work here too." He scribbled.

"You're right, I don't work, I serve tea to rich kids for fun." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "And you can't deny that I've made up money like crazy lately. I've already paid you back one million yen out of my six."

"How'd you do that, Yuki?" Tamaki asked. He followed me like a puppy to my favorite windowsill.

"Easy. I don't eat any of the cake or drink any of the tea, so I won't be docked for that. I don't dress up with you guys, so that's another thing I don't have to pay for. Plus, I haven't broken anything since the Ginori... Incident." I angled my gaze to the floor.

"And I don't charge interest like I usually would. You are doing very well, even rounding up a few appointments every now and again with some of the customers. You even have some regulars," Kyoya mentioned.

_Is he... Impressed? Is that what he looks like when he's impressed? I can't tell, I've never seen it before._

"Sure but the only regulars I have are Tamami and Teruyo. And the only times girls come to me is to ask me stupid questions about being gay. Most of which I can't answer because– Oh that's right!" I pounded my fist on my open palm, "I'm not."

I lifted my guitar on to my lap and strummed a melody I had worked on. I looked through the window at a flock of doves, glancing at the permanently smudged spot. It had been cloudy since my first week of school because my breath always fogged it up when I laid my head against the window. Mori walked to the window and gazed out at the same birds. A momentary vision lapse switched the image of him for one of my big brother.

_That distanced gaze that Saburo always had when he was deep in thought. _

But Mori looked nothing like Saburo._ Sure, they're both tall, but Saburo had silvery-blonde hair and glassy green eyes like dad. _I, unlike my brother, took my mother's wild red hair and deep, forest green eyes. I absent-mindedly traced my lips with a finger.

I snapped back to reality when I accidentally struck a chord on my guitar. I looked back at Mori who now looked like himself again. No more mirror of Saburo. A disappointment and a relief in the same note.

"What do you think about when you stare off into space like that?" I asked him a question that I had always regretted not asking my brother.

He broke away from the window and stood up straight again. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged, "Nothing much," he mumbled.

"Wow, you sure can paint me a picture," I smirked. I laid the guitar back down on the sill and hopped off. "I'm off to exercise my hobby of making tea for girls who don't like me." I started walking to the back room, and in my peripheral vision I swore I could see Kyoya chuckle a little.

"What are the costumes for today, Tono?" The twins asked.

"Knights in shining armor!" Tamaki said in his whimsical way. Honey giggled with joy between bites of cake.

"Aw, I thought we were going with the police officers." Kaoru whined.

"Yeah, I had my line for the women all figured out!" Hikaru complained. The twins sauntered over to me. Kaoru put his arm around my shoulder and whispered seductively in my ear, "You have the right to remain silent."

"Anything you say can and will be held against you, so say my name." Hikaru angled my chin up, forcing me to look in his eyes. Trademark host nature.

Tamaki shot towards them and smacked them upside the head. "Stop sexually harassing my daughter! We will be knights and that is that!"

"You don't have to tell me twice." I rolled my eyes and rushed to the back room to avoid any more "harassment".

* * *

"Yuki-mu!" Honey cheered and ran toward me. I had just set down a tray of cakes and tea. He hugged me tight, his thick armor completely knocking the wind out of me. I coughed and sputtered on what little air was left in my lungs.

"Oh, are you okay?" Honey looked at me, his big brown eyes sparkling.

I nodded, "Yeah just, next time you do that, make sure you're wearing something that isn't made of metal please."

Someone pushed the club doors open. The boys rushed to get into their welcoming positions. "Welcome," Tamaki said as he raised his costume sword gracefully, "I see you two are from another school. We love first time guests!" He bent down on one knee and laid his sword on the floor. "My darlings, even if the world were to be destroyed, I would put my life on the line as your faithful servant. "

The two girls in uniform that did not belong to Ouran looked at him with disdain. "That's awfully arrogant of you. You really think that's what a girl wants to hear? Well you're wrong."

"Cut him some slack, Sister Suzuran," the other started," men are just lowly lifeforms who don't care about anything other than protecting their testosterone-laden image."

"Very well said, Hinagiku." It hit me. I cringed when I realized where I knew those uniforms from.

"That's a bit harsh don't you think? What _do _ women like you want to hear?" Tamaki asked, a little defeated. A tall girl of the same uniform appeared in the doorway. She had an arm around Haruhi who was holding a bag full of instant coffee.

"If we fight, we fight together. If we fail, we fail together. Even if I were to die, I would never leave your side." She knelt and kissed Haruhi's hand.

"DON'T TOUCH HARUHI WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!" Bam. That sent him wailing back to the couch. "She punched me! She's so violent!" He sobbed.

I stepped from behind Kyoya where I had watched the episode unfold. Switched into mother mode, I grabbed Tamaki by the chin and angled his face into the light. "It looks like she barely touched you," I said handing him his bear. "You're a big boy; you should be able to handle a little smack on the face."

"You girls are from Saint Lobelia Girl's Academy, correct?" Kyoya's glasses glinted.

"Indeed," Benibara said. In a fluster of uniforms the girls were wearing what looked like theatrical costumes. "We are the women of the White Lilly League, also known as..." Another costume change. _Where are they hiding all of these?_

"THE ZUKA CLUB!" They threw their arms open and beamed. The host all looked at each other for a second or two before the twins broke the silence with their laughter. And I with my audible groan.

"The Zuka Club, what a name! And those costumes." The twins shouted between bouts of laughter. Tamaki was swaying, a hand to his head, like he might fall over.

"So... Lesbos?" He whispered as he collapsed. I shook my head.

"It's a wonder you're so scared of lesbians but you make me pretend like I _am_ one." I tried to sneak behind Mori where I couldn't be seen, but the girl Hinagiku was waiting for me. She grabbed my wrists and dragged me along with her. She left me right in front of Benibara. She looked at me for a moment before hugging me to her.

"Look what I found! Another diamond in the rough! Who does she remind you of?" Hinagiku asked like she'd just found the winning lottery ticket.

"Are you all still here?" The twins asked, bored. They were playing a handheld video game. Kyoya was typing away at his laptop, Mori reading a book, Honey eating cake, Tamaki still collapsed on the couch and Haruhi had left to make coffee.

"She bears an uncanny resemblance to the Red Maiden," Benibara whispered in awe, stroking my face. Hinagiku clapped gleefully.

All of a sudden there was laughter. Renge's laughter. She appeared in the doorway wearing a kimono. "You boys shouldn't underestimate the Zuka Club!" She said. She took a cup of coffee off of that tray that Haruhi was holding. She put the cup back on the tray after she tasted the coffee and almost spit it out. _Someone doesn't like instant. _I smirked.

"Lobelia Girl's Academy, truly a woman's world!" Renge quickly recovered. "From preschool to high school. The most popular club there is the Zuka Club whose activities include, maidenly tea parties, a maiden debate forum where they discuss women's rights, and performing musical reviews. One of the most famous members of the Zuka Club was Momoka Muruyama who would write, direct, and perform in her own musicals," Renge produced a portrait of my sister from underneath her kimono. All the club members, Zuka and Host, gathered around to look at it. "Her most well-received musical was 'Bloom'. The musical she wrote after she was involved in a major ca–" I cut Renge off.

"If I wanted everyone to know my sister's autobiography, I'd have told them myself. Plus, WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF MY SISTER?' I screamed. I snatched the picture out of Renge's hands; she raised hers arms over her face defensively as I made like I was going to backhand her with it. Hikaru plucked it out of my grasp before that could happen and held it out of my reach. "Jerk..." I huffed.

Renge peeked out from under her hands, "It's the portrait that hangs outside of Lobelia's main theater."

Kyoya had taken down notes of all of this is in his little black notebook of doom. "You seem to have a vast wealth of knowledge when it comes to Lobelia."

Renge giggled as her 'true love' spoke to her directly. "Well, I've always been fascinated with girl's schools. I considered going there bu–"

"Why didn't you? no one's keeping you here..." I mumbled bitterly. She shot me a penetrating glare.

"What would I do without my boys?" She laughed and left the room, leaving the picture of my sister behind. "Her boys" groaned.

Benibara broke her silence," Rumor has it, the Red Maiden left before she could see this picture hung." She clutched the picture of Momoka in her hands. "We knew your sister. We were young but we have fond memories of her. All Zuka Club member swear to be loyal to the Red Maiden." She, Suzuran at her right, and Hinagiku at her left, bent to one knee in front of me.

"Join us. Come be our new Red Maiden.' Suzuran pleaded.

_Oh Momo. I knew something like this would happen eventually. _

* * *

**Tamaki**

I saw the Lobelia girls kneel in front of Yuki. _Why are they so infatuated with my daughters?_

And when I looked at Yuki's face, she looked disappointed in them. It was strange. And when they stood up again, the tall one started slandering me and my club!

"I don't know if it's because the Club president is a half-blood, but using good looks to pile on false love is degrading! Is it not enough that you have to fill your greed by using the club as a front? Even going as far as to lure these poor girls into this with you, you guys are despicable! I swear, I will have garbage like this Host Club shut down immediately!" Benibara shouted as she clutched Yuki to her body. I gawked at them. I felt faint, like I might pass out. _Shut down my Host Club?_

Then my darling daughter Haruhi appeared to lighten the mood. "I made coffee, if you guys want some." She offered it to those terrible girls, being the nice little girl she is. _This is why we have to keep her here. Because those nasty lesbian girls could easily take advantage of her!_

I jumped up and dragged Haruhi and Yuki away from them. "You guys are under the wrong impression about something!" I pointed at the Zuka Club accusingly. Then the youngest Lobelia girl came up from behind us and poured hot coffee on my hand! While I was bandaging it and trying to soothe my burn, Benibara stole my daughters again.

"Now that I know the situation, there is no way I can leave these girls here. I will get the transfer papers immediately! I'm taking these girls into the Zuka Club!" Benibara shouted.

"Wait, no hold on a second!" My daughters were pleading. Benibara released them from her hold. I think you're misunderstanding something here. Like how the host Club has a short history," Haruhi tried to reason.

The twins ruined it though, "But the Host Club has only been around for two years, this year being the second," they said.

"Or what about Tamaki-senpai being a half-blood? That can't be true!" Haruhi insisted. Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai assured her otherwise.

"Seriously, you guys, you're killing us," I whimpered to myself.

"But, Tama-chan is a half-blood. Half French and half Japanese!" Honey cheered. Yuki studied me for a moment.

"I never would have guessed that," she said, "because you're totally obsessed with Japanese cultu–" She stopped herself and her eyes widened. "It all makes sense now! I knew I noticed a French twinge in your voice when I first met you! I just thought it was because you had vacationed in France one to many times, because you're rich, you know? But that's not it, you're _from_ France! Everything's falling into place!" She laughed. _My daughter is__ so cute! _

"Alright but it's not like we're making money off our guests," Haruhi was still trying to disprove the Zuka Clubs theory. It was Kyoya who fanned the flames this time.

"Well actually, it's a points system. We make preferential accommodations based on the prices of our online auctions. Come take a look at this," He beckoned her over to his computer screen, " the winning bid for your mechanical pencil was thirty thousand yen. Pretty nice, eh?"

"WHAT? I THOUGHT I LOST THAT!" Haruhi shouted. "No one told me we did this!"

"Well we don't make very much profit from it, its ninety-nine percent fee," Kyoya continued despite my silent pleadings for him to shut his mouth.

This enraged Haruhi even more, "THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU ALL PERMISSION TO STEAL THINGS AND SELL THEM!"

"We didn't steal it, you dropped it," The twins admitted in unison. They tried to play innocent when she glared at them hard. I ran to her to comfort her betrayal.

"You can have my pencil! It has a bear on it!" I offered her.

"No, senpai, I don't want it." She pushed me away from her.

"You're so mean to your father sometimes! I'm only trying to make you feel better!" I retreated to my friends.

The Zuka Club pulled my daughters aside. Hinagikun whispered, "C'mon, ditch these guys! You can do so much better in the Zuka Club. If you stay here you're nothing but a rose in a trash can." Yuki looked like she was considering the metaphor. Benibara chimed in, "Let them be, they've both had a shock today. We'll be back tomorrow hoping for good news!" The girls waved and were gone.

Haruhi turned and glanced in our direction. "I'm going to head home too." She grabbed her things and swung the door open without a second look over her shoulder. Yuki pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and tapped her foot impatiently. She let out and exasperated groan and glared in our direction. She grabbed the guitar off of the window sill, her bag from the back room and her skateboard and made it halfway out the door before Kyoya stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going with that?"

"Home, I was hoping."

"And since when do you take that guitar home with you?"

"Since I busted a string on mine at home and don't have a replacement for it," she snapped, "I'll bring it back tomorrow, Officer." She rolled her eyes. Kyoya stepped out of her way and she left in a huff.

"Why? Why did you tell them the truth? You just poured oil on the flames! What if that pencil was an heirloom from her mother?" I yelled looking particularly at Kyoya and those troublesome twins.

"It wasn't," The twins assured, "It clearly had an electronics store name printed on the side. It was just a freebie."

Kyoya shrugged, "Besides, why lie to her?"

"I think selling it was the last straw for Haruhi, though," Honey-senpai said in his sweet little voice. "But, I don't know about Yuki..."

"No one ever knows about Yuki," joked Hikaru, earning him a disapproving look.

I gazed out the window, trying to make sense of everything that had happened that day. "Think about it; they both have very blunt personalities and tend to prefer men's clothing. Haruhi has even said that she likes having all those girls flutter over her."

"And I know Yuki loves all the attention, simply because she's never made friends so easily before," Mori-senpai spoke up.

"Lobelia could easily pay off their debts, too." Kyoya scribbled in his book.

"Uwahh! They're gonna _transfer_?" Honey-senpai whined and clutched his bunny. I found myself wishing I had my bear to clutch. But, suddenly, a wonderful idea struck.

"Men, I have a plan!" I cheered.

* * *

**Yuki**

I sat outside the club room door, playing my guitar. What Renge was saying about Momoka's musical, "Bloom", got one of the songs stuck in my head:

_"Hook, line, and sinker,_  
_I'm on my way down._  
_You had me all but lost and I've been dying to be found._

_I wanted you to tell me_  
_That I was good enough._  
_I was worthy of your, _  
_worthy of your, _  
_worthy of your love. _

_All I want is a second chance, _  
_if it weren't for you I could be somebody._  
_You were never a part of my plans._  
_If I had my way they'd never find your body."_

Haruhi and the Zuka Club turned the corner in time for the chorus. To my surprise they sang along with me:

_"I'm gonna bloom like a flower. _  
_I'm gonna shine like a star in the sky._  
_I'll make sure everybody knows that I'm the one that they desire._  
_And my only enemy,_  
_Is Time."_

I stared at Benibara. "Don't look so surprised. I've been a Zuka Club member since middle school, and every self-respecting member has seen a production of 'Bloom'," she laughed, "But none are quite like when the Red Maiden herself starred in it." She helped me off the ground.

"Did senpai tell you to meet us out here too?" Haruhi asked.

"Yup. Cryptic as always." I leaned the guitar against the wall. We swung the door open and stepped into the unusually dark room beyond.

I could see the shapes of the hosts standing in welcome formation in big fancy costumes, but the darkness hazed out the details. Suddenly, the lights were thrown and I could see clearly again.

Of course, what I saw wasn't at all what I expected. the Hosts were dressed as girls in fancy dresses and thick make-up.

"Oh, girls, come in!" Kaoru said in a high, girly voice.

"Look, look, I'm a Princess, what do you think?" Honey giggled. His voice didn't need to be any higher. We all just stared at them.

"What the hell is this? Are you insulting our culture?" Benibara shouted at Tamaki.

"Insult? Absolutely not! We're just providing something commoners can't ignore!"

I nudged Haruhi, "Is he talking about cross-dressers?" I whispered. She shrugged.

"The Two Birds With One Stone Strategy! You Lobelia girls may not know this, but commoners are weak for freebies! Now, if they stay with the Host Club, they get not only brothers but sisters as well!"

Hikaru and Kaoru twirled around each other the way they do when they play the "Which One is Hikaru Game" with customers, "Who's more attractive, your father, or your sisters?"

Honey dragged Haruhi and I to our knees so we could talk to him at his eye level, "You can call me Big Sister." He grinned. Haruhi looked at me and I to her. Then we fell over laughing.

"Stop! Stop! What are you trying to pull?" I choked out the words between bouts of laughter.

Haruhi was laughing too but was trying to regain her composure. It seemed impossible at the moment, "I don't understand. What are you guys doing?"

I was practically on the ground laughing my ass off. At one point I actually snorted, making Haruhi and I laugh even harder. "C'mon and call us big sister," the twins laughed with us and tried to help us off the floor.

"Maidens...?" Suzuran whispered.

Haruhi stood and explained to them, "I think your culture is unique and interesting at Lobelia, but I can't go. I have a dream I want to carry out here. That's why I wasn't going to leave from the very beginning."

"Then why did you get so upset yesterday and leave early?" Tamaki wondered out loud.

"Because you don't just sell people's things without permission, senpai, and I had to get home to study."

Benibara looked to me. Everyone looked to me expectantly. Honey ran up and glommed to my side. I put my arm around his shoulders in a big sisterly way. " I can't leave Ouran. I know these guys are idiots, but as cliché as it sounds, they're my idiots. They're friends, something I don't get very often. And besides, everyone at Lobelia would expect me to be just like my sister. I can't be expected to write, direct, and perform in musicals. Or even go near musicals. Not a chance. I'm not, nor will I ever be as talented as Momoka. So Lobelia will have to live on without a new Red Maiden." I stated. Everyone just gawked at me. "Also," I added, "I don't know how I feel about being part of a multi-faceted lesbian relationship. So, I think I 'll pass.' I smiled at Hinagiku, Suzuran, and Benibara in turn.

"Benio..." Suzuran whispered.

"I know. I will NOT give up on you girls! I swear I will rescue you from this garbage and shut down the Host Club!" She shouted on her way out the door.

"Do you think they'll really shut down the Host Club?" Honey asked me.

I hugged him, "Not a chance," I grinned and he beamed back at me.

* * *

**AN: You guys. This chapter wouldn't save. Like, maybe twice out of every ten times I tried, so I had to re-type the latter half of this chapter like fifteen times. I tell you I was about fucking ready to drop-kick someone! (╯°Д°）╯︵ /(.□ . \) Gah! Anyway, I hope it never ever takes this long to update, and now that it's summer it shouldn't. Thanks for all of your constant support. I know you all would kill me if I even thought about giving up on this story. But no such luck, you won't be getting rid of me so easily! R&R, F&F, PM me. I love you guys! (BTW, two new songs are up on YouTube, link to my channel is on my profile.) ~Yuki-mu ^w^ PS: New cover photo, I drew it myself, what do you think?**


	12. Chapter 12

**Broken Butterfly**

**Babysitting Adventures (Part 1)**

**Kaori**

There it was again. That ringtone. Yuki's cellphone tone was the song from some American punk band she liked. I had heard it four times already. I had been able to learn all the words, it had rung so often. _Why hasn't she gone to answer it? Why doesn't it bother anybody else?_

I rolled over in bed and managed to fall flat on my face to the cold floor. I considered laying there for the rest of the morning when the dreaded phone rang again. I groaned loudly and yawned, pushing myself to my feet. I gazed longingly at my soft bed and at the angry red light of my alarm clock, reminding me how dreadfully early it was. Five twenty-two in the morning exactly. I glanced at the bed across the room, the lump of blankets on the floor, and my sister laying on the mattress shivering. "You're such a dolt sometimes," I mumbled to my sleeping twin as I picked up all of her blankets and dumped them on top of her. She didn't even flinch.

The phone rang again.

"What the hell? How do you sleep through this?" I angrily whispered to Arisa. I shook my head and unlocked my bedroom door. When I opened it, Yuki's cat Noell was waiting at the threshold to scare the crap out of me. I jumped so high out of shock that my head almost hit the ceiling. I pushed her out the way gently with my foot. She mewed in protest then slinked down the hall and up the stairs like a shadow.

I trudged to the kitchen, dim light filtering through the windows, the sun mostly blocked out by the morning fog. I groped around for the string to the blinds covering the window over the kitchen sink. The grey light didn't brighten much, but was enough to allow me to find the source of the dreaded punk song. Yuki's school bag was on the floor, propped up against a barstool.

I dug around inside and pulled out her phone, the little screen on the front glowing blue. I flipped it open without mercy. "Hello?" I growled.

"Yuki?" The person on the other end sounded both relieved and frantic.

"_Tamaki-senpai_? What are you doing? It's so _early!_"

"Is this one of the twins?" He asked.

I nodded, realized that he couldn't see me, made a mental note about how it was "too damn early for this", and replied: "Yes, it's Kaori. Yuki is sleeping. Something that most people, including yourself and I, ought to be doing now."

"I know, but I had this terrible dream that she was sick and I just had to make sure she was okay for our meeting this morning!" he said once again, both frantic and excited.

I shook my head and slammed my palm against my forehead. "Yeah, she'll be there for six. Go to bed, Senpai." I told him. He said something else that I didn't catch before I snapped the phone shut. I slipped Yuki's cellphone back into her bag, silently threatening it to keep quiet.

A fuzzy ball of energy slammed into my legs. Fujio, Arisa and I's corgi puppy, was circling my legs excitedly. His tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth and he was panting happily. I knelt to the floor and scratched behind his ears as he pushed me flat on my back. "Alright, alright, I'll feed you!" I shoved him off of my chest. After pouring some food in his bowl, he promptly calmed down. He padded along behind me as I beat hard on Yuki's bedroom door. "Get up! You're gonna be late for Host Club!"

I heard Yuki groan and throw what I think was a pillow at the door; I judged by the thumping noise it made. She said something inaudible through the door. I tried turning the knob; locked. So I did what any good little sister would do and busted her lock by jamming a kitchen knife in it. I turned the knob again. This time the door allowed me access.

I lifted the pillow that was covering her head and smacked her with it. "Tamaki-senpai called. He told me to make sure you weren't sick, which you obviously aren't, and that you got to Host Club for six."

Yuki coughed in a way that was almost insultingly fake. "But," she said in a hoarse whisper, "I really am sick." She coughed again.

I whacked her one more time with her pillow. "And from now on, turn your phone off at night."

* * *

**Yuki**

"Why did I have to come so early?" I asked the club. I scratched my head and noted just how greasy my long red hair was. I hadn't a chance to wash it that morning because I was very rudely awoken by Kaori.

"You're late. Again." The twins reminded me.

"I had to skateboard all the way here because I missed the bus. That takes almost a half-an-hour at top speed. I almost killed myself in morning traffic." I was going for the sympathy vote. _Maybe my prize will be a nap. _

Tamaki came from behind me and pulled me into one of his fatherly hugs. "I'm so happy that you are okay! I had a terrible nightmare that you were violently ill!

_I wouldn't be so lucky. _

"We need you and Haruhi to take down all the blackout curtains and the other Halloween decorations. Fall break is over and it's time to get back into the swing of things!" Tamaki sounded a bit too much like my mother and still hadn't released me. I looked at the many tall windows that lined the outer wall of the room; most of them were still draped with thick blackout curtains. Haruhi was on a ladder taking one down. There were rubber bats hanging from string taped to the ceiling. Orange and black candlesticks and rubber spiders (that made me very uncomfortable) still adorned the tables.

I grabbed the ladder that was not being used and pushed it over to the next covered window. I climbed to the top step, the one that has the warning label telling you that the next step is, in fact, not a step. I reached up for the rings holding the curtain to the window and missed by a mile.

"Why are we having the shortest person here do this?" I yelled to those on the floor. Haruhi chuckled as she folded a curtain she had taken down and placed it in a box. Honey just looked at me. "Hey, don't give me that. You're welcome to come try your hand at this."

"Why don't you stand on the top step?" The twins suggested, "You're light, it's not a big deal."

I shrugged and stepped to the top. I reached again for the curtain and found myself still short and inch or two. I took a quick look around me and stood on my toes, using the curtain for support as I unhooked the rings.

"Hey Haruhi, we still have that angel costume from Halloween you were supposed to wear. It would be a shame if you didn't get to wear it at all, don't you agree?" I knew that the twins had been talking even without turning around. One, by their voices, and two, by context. I shook my head and pulled a couple of bats off of the ceiling that were hanging close to my face, dropping them to the floor before continuing to the next curtain.

While I pushed the ladder to the next window I could see Haruhi backing away from the twins who had evil grins on their identical faces. From the top of the ladder I resumed my tip-toe stance, pulling at the curtain. I heard Haruhi's aggravated squeal as the twins chased her around the room trying to catch her.

"Hey guys, be careful," I pleaded, "I'm really uncomfo–" the ladder tipped sickeningly to one side as the twins and Haruhi ran passed. One of them must have hit it with their foot.

Time seemed to slow itself down. I could see that they hadn't stopped running. The ladder momentarily righted itself but before I could breathe a sigh of relief it tipped the opposite way. It started folding together and falling to the floor. Not knowing what to do, I clutched the curtain and screamed for help.

Mori the Protector caught me just seconds before I made impact with the marble floor. An exaggerated but familiar gasp came from the doorway. Teruyo, the co-captain of the gymnastics team, rushed in and practically pried me from Mori's arms, standing me up straight and patting me down. "Are you broken? You're fine right? Tell me you're fine!"

"Yeah, yeah," I pushed her arms away, "I'm fine thanks to Mori, no thanks to the twins. What's up?" I asked as I picked up the rubber bats I had dropped on the floor and threw them into a box.

"We have a tournament tomorrow night! Didn't you get the e-mail that Suki sent out?" She looked at me expectantly. Suki was a girl on the team and in charge of making announcements about tournaments and competitions.

"No, I don't have a computer to even _get_ e-mails nonetheless one's about tournaments! I specifically told her to call me if anything came up!" I slammed my palm to my face.

Teruyo looked concerned. "Well are you ready? We need you to direct the new routine."

I thought about it. _I need to tell Zenko and make sure someone will be there to watch the girls and Mako while I'm gone. _"I'll be there."

She clapped happily. "Oh goodie! Bring your stuff and leave it in the locker room. We leave right after school lets out."

I nodded. "I guess I'll see you then," I said. She left and I fixed the ladder, ready to remove another curtain. Ready to shake the feeling of foreboding that had settled over me.

* * *

I walked confidently into the first-year A-class homeroom classroom. I knew Zenko studied and ate his lunch there. He was sitting at a desk in the back of the room, a textbook open in front of him, an apple in his hand.

I sat down in the chair in front of him and threw my legs around the back of it. "Hey you," I smiled. He looked up slowly, surprise on his face, "I've got a tournament tomorrow night for gymnastics. So I need you to stay with the kiddies."

He looked at me nervously. "I'm going to visit my mom tomorrow after school and then I'm going to a friend's house to work on a project."

"What?" I cocked my head and stared at him.

"It's her birthday tomorrow. I always visit on her birthday, it's the only time Social Services lets me see her." He looked at me and continued, "I'm going to take the bus and then, after the visit, the Social Services lady will give me a ride to my friend's house. I'm sleeping over at Roka's house so we can work on our biology project."

I took a moment to process this. "But... I can't miss this tournament. And I would never ask you to skip out on your mom because that's really important to you, but I can't just leave the twins with Kaori and Arisa! Do you remember the last time we did that? Yumi was tied to a chair and Kami was hiding in my closet!"

"Oh I remember that! They told Kami that they would play hide-and-seek so she hid in your closet and they left her there."

"Exactly! And Yumi tried to wage an imaginary war on them so they tied her up."

"I was amazed that we found Mako intact," Zenko whistled.

"I wasn't. They knew, that if they even _considered _pulling anything on my baby, I would kill them." I nodded.

"I see our dilemma now." He said. We pondered for a moment; Zenko biting down on a knuckle, I drumming my fingertips on the desk.

"Natsumi won't be home?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Out at work. Besides, I wouldn't leave them with her anyway. She's been on a drunk kick for the past week or two."

Back to the drawing board. We stared past each other, searching for solutions. I saw a spark in Zenko's eyes that signified an idea, "Why don't you ask your friends; the ones that came for dinner?"

I shook my head rapidly. _I don't want them taking care of my kids either! _But I realized that I had no more options.

"Fine." I sighed and stood up. Zenko gave me a weak smile before I turned and left the room.

* * *

**Kaori**

_"Thank you, girls. Be good for the guys please!" She said the morning she left for her tournament. She kissed Mako, Kami, and Yumi on the tops of their heads. She wasn't tall enough to reach Arisa and I's heads so she just hugged us. She hugged Zenko for a long time and whispered, "Make sure your mom is alright." She smiled sadly. She was acting like she was headed off for battle; like she wasn't going to come back. _

A sharp knock came from the front door. I swung it open, knowing full and well who would be waiting at the steps. Tamaki, Mori, Honey, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Haruhi if I remembered all of their names correctly. I ushered them inside.

"I tried to clean up as well as I could," I casually kicked a baby toy underneath the couch."I don't know why Yuki would ask you to do this. Arisa and I aren't bad babysitters!"

"Yuki told us about the last time she let you two babysit," Kyoya said nonchalantly. He had a little black notebook with him.

"Well– You weren't there, you wouldn't understand how terrible they were being!" I argued in my defense. Kyoya just raised his eyebrows.

Kami was in the far corner of the living room, building a pillow fort. She had a large pile of bedroom pillows, accent pillows, and couch cushions. "Kami, did you steal every pillow in the house?" I asked her, my hands on my hips.

"No." She stuck her nose in the air and swished the sparkly skirts of her princess costume. I shot her a look that said, 'I know you are not telling me the truth'. "I didn't! I don't have Natsumi or Kuzo's! They smell icky... Like cigaretts." She stuck her tongue out and shook her head.

She gasped exaggeratedly when she saw Tamaki. She took his hand and started leading him to her construction site. "You gave me that rose and called me a princess," she giggled as she dragged the bewildered Host Club King. "You'll play with me won't you?" She looked at him gleefully. Her eyes were a shade of blue and her hair a shade of gold that matched Tamaki's so well that they could have been related and no one would question it.

"Of course, Princess." He bowed low and she curtseyed, loving every minute of it. "You're much more talkative than when I last saw you!" Kami just shrugged. She hadn't mentioned Jaku since the night he appeared and disappeared.

"Weren't there more of you last time?" One of the twins asked; I wasn't sure which one. As if on que Arisa and Yumi could be heard arguing in the hallway. Yumi marched in clutching a bucket of plastic soldiers. Arisa followed suit brandishing a curling iron in one hand and Mako on the opposite hip.

"Pretty, pretty please with sprinkles let me curl your hair?" Arisa begged sticking out her bottom lip and pointing her curler at Yumi, "I want to use it some more before I sell it."

"No. Curl your own hair." Was Yumi's blunt answer.

"But, I already did! I pinkie promise I won't burn you this time!" Arisa gave her the widest smile she could. People rarely said no to Arisa's winning smile.

"No! That's girly and stupid! Warriors don't curl their hair!" Yumi said defiantly as she dumped out the contents of the bucket on the living room floor. She crouched onto her knees and started to line them up in rows.

Arisa's jaw was on the floor and she had a look about her as if she'd been mortally wounded. "_You_ a _warrior_?" She scoffed, "You can't even tie your own shoes!" She slammed the curler on the counter top. Mako started making little whining noises so I plucked him from her hip and bounced him in my arms. _  
_

Yumi looked self-consciously at her tennis shoes for a few moments. She had tucked the laces under the tongue so she didn't trip over them. She stood up, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'll learn when I join the army because _you_ never taught me!" She stormed down the hall and slammed the door behind her.

Arisa leaned back against the island in the kitchen and threw her head back. "What do you usually do when this happens?" Haruhi asked us. Arisa jumped a foot. She looked wide-eyed at the hosts that were still standing awkwardly by the door. All but Tamaki who was laying half-in half-out of the pillow fort he and Kami had built, coloring with her.

Arisa smacked me hard in the arm, "Why didn't you tell me they were ready here?"

"Why didn't you notice for yourself?" I shrugged. "And I usually just sit back and watch," I said to answer Haruhi's question.

Suddenly, Mori broke from the cluster and walked down the hallway. Everyone looked to one another, but no one said anything in protest. He stopped at the door that Yumi had slammed. Of course, it wasn't her own bedroom. It was Yuki's. Everyone went to Yuki when they were upset, so it was second nature.

"I don't wanna talk to anyone!" She yelled through the door when he knocked. She could be heard sniffling quietly.

"Really?" Mori asked. His deep voice made Yumi open up the door. She looked up and him and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her camo-print jacket. He crouched down and adjusted the collar of her jacket. He whispered something low so that only she could hear him. Her face lit up and she ran back into the room. Mori stood up and walked back into the kitchen where Arisa placed a cup of tea in his hands like she had with everyone else. She turned to the microwave where she was heating leftover edamame beans.

"What did you tell her?" She asked without turning around. I was her twin and I always knew how she felt. She felt _guilty_.

"I just offered to teach her how to tie her shoes," Mori shrugged. "She reminds me of my brother. She's a sweet kid, but she's not as tough as she wants you to think."

I smiled. _None of us are._

Arisa instantly perked up at the mention of boys, "You have a brother?" Mori nodded.

Honey spoke up, "Takashi and I both have brothers. They're about your age!"

"Really?" Arisa said excitedly. "Where do they go to school? I might know–"

"Don't get your hopes up," I cut her off with a laugh. I set Mako down in his playpen in the living room. Yumi had run back in with her tennis shoes that she has removed from her feet. She sat on the couch and waited patiently for Mori. "If I had to guess, they go to Ouran like their older brothers. We don't know any rich kids; we go to a crappy public school. Stop digging for boys with money, you whore."

She ran to the middle of the room and punched me in the shoulder. "Don't call me a whore you slut!" She was trying not to let a smile break out on her face.

"Bite me." I was struggling to hide mine also.

"I'll fight you," she threw a punch aimed at my face. I leaned back at just the right time. It barely missed my nose. I could hear Tamaki and Haruhi telling us to stop but we ignored them.

I kicked my foot up but missed her head when she ducked down. She stood up, but before she could make another move, I kicked her in the chest and she stumbled to the floor. She was on her back on the carpet.

I didn't even have time to celebrate my victory before Arisa grabbed my ankle and flipped me onto my back beside her. We busted out laughing. "No fair," I shoved Arisa's face away from mine, "You were already down." Hikaru and Kaoru helped the two of us off the floor.

"You guys are weird." They told us. We looked at each other.

"We know."

"Who taught you to fight like that?" Honey asked.

"Yuki." We told him. He nodded like this didn't surprise him.

"That's the fighting style she used at the beach to fend off those men." Kyoya said, while flipping through his book.

Honey walked over to Mako's playpen. He picked up the stuffed bear that Mako had dropped on the floor and gave it back to the baby. "You beat each other up for fun?"

Arisa and I looked at each other. "You and Mori are martial arts masters. Martial arts are essentially 'beating each other up'?" I retorted.

"Martial arts are far more graceful." Kyoya replied, scribbling in his notebook.

"Fine, whatever. 'You wanna order a pizza?" Arisa asked the Host Club, her hand already on the receiver. The guys shrugged. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**AN: Ultra-awkward ending. TO BE CONTINUED... ~Yuki-mu **


	13. Chapter 13

**Broken Butterfly**

**Babysitting Adventures Part 2: The Orphans Spill All**

**Kaori**

Yumi was at the door before anyone else. She had on her tennis shoes that she had tied herself. Mori-senpai sat on the living room floor and taught her while we waited for the pizza to arrive. Kami ran up behind her, her plastic princess heels clicking loudly against the floor. Kami handed the delivery guy the money while Yumi took the pizza boxes. We often let them do things to make them feel like big kids. Helping with the dishes, giving them money so they can 'pay' for the takeout.

I took the boxes and placed them on the island in the kitchen. As soon as the lids were flipped open the smell of pepperoni and cheese filled the air. Everyone flocked around the island taking slices and munching happily or sipping lemonade. Very soon all of the pizza was gone. Haruhi sipped her lemonade and asked, "Where's Zenko tonight? I wanted to ask him how his biology project is going. I have to work with these two," she gestured to Hikaru and Kaoru and rolled her eyes, "meaning I'll be doing most of the project alone."

"He's visiting his mom." Arisa said nonchalantly through a mouth-full of pizza.

I punched her in the shoulder. _Hard_. She yelped and almost spit her food out.

"I–I mean, he's at a friends house! Working on his project I think!" She quickly tried to recover but the Host Club was already suspicious. There would be no recovering from _that _blunder.

I gritted my teeth and gave Arisa a look that could have melted stone, "Sorry. I thought you were _choking_."

"Yuki mentioned that you all had the same mother." Kyoya, attentive as always. He scribbled in his little black book of secrets. "I thought we met her at dinner the last time we were here."

"Zenko's mommy's in prison." Kami stated, shoveling pizza into her mouth. She swung her legs innocently above the floor since her feet couldn't reach the ground from the barstool she was sitting on.

The Hitachiin twins' jaws dropped. Honey-senpai gasped. I cracked my knuckles menacingly. Kami was lucky I had morals against beating the crap out of six-year-olds.

"So I was right then?" Kyoya's glasses glinted, though the light hadn't shifted.

"Right about what?" I asked him. It was my turn to be confused.

"Right about the fact that Yuki and her siblings live in a foster home. Before the Host Club came for dinner, I did some research on the area and found out that an orphanage used to be in this neighborhood. When I asked Yuki about it she admitted to living in the building. But she lied when she said that your mother bought it from the previous owner. It's been an orphanage all along."

There was a silence. It felt like an eternity until someone spoke. But someone did eventually speak. And that someone was Tamaki.

"So... You are all... Orphans?" He looked at us with sympathy. Especially to Kami, whom he had grown so fond of.

I looked to my sisters and they to me. We nodded.

"So how'd it happen?" One of the Hitachiin twins asked.

The counterpart grabbed his arm, "Hikaru, that's rude."

"I was just wondering." Hikaru pouted.

"We were eleven when our father left us three years ago," Arisa started. I gaped at her but didn't interrupt. I had always wanted to tell people about the past I usually kept so expertly hidden. She continued, "We had always been poor. We lived in a dinky little apartment and went to a crappy school but we didn't mind. We never had a mother because our mother died giving birth to us." She rolled the curling iron that was still on the counter awkwardly around between her hands.

I stepped in, "One day our dad came back with an ungodly amount of food from the grocery store. He told us that we didn't have to go back to school. We could sleep late and do whatever we wanted. Naturally, it seemed like a dream come true."

"But there was something he wasn't telling you, wasn't there?" Honey asked.

"Exactly. He said he was going on a trip for work. He told us never to answer the door, the phone, and to never leave the house." I explained.

"It was a weird request, but we didn't question it. We were just excited to be independent. We spent weeks alone, while we thought our dad was on a business trip. After about three weeks someone knocked on the door. But, unlike the others they didn't wait very long before busting our door down. Kaori and I were playing card games on the floor when it happened. We screamed and grabbed onto each other, thinking we were being robbed."

"It turns out, it was the police. Our next door neighbor had seen our dad leave and not come back. She had apparently knocked on the door and when we didn't answer, she though we were dead, so she called the authorities." I rolled my eyes, "Before we knew it, we were told that our father couldn't be found. Our things were packed up before we could protest and Social Services carted us here."

The Host Club stared at us in stunned silence.

"Can it be my turn now?" Yumi asked.

"You don't know why you're here. You and Kami were brought to us when you were four, there's no way you'd even remember." Arisa told her bluntly. "Besides, Social Services wouldn't tell us why you guys came in the first place. Only Natsumi knows and she won't spill."

Yumi looked crestfallen. I quickly tried consoling her, "You don't need to know why." I said as I pulled her into a hug, "You don't need parents anyway. You have sisters and brothers who love you. What's better than that?"

Kami nodded her head in agreement. "I like to pretend that Yuki's our mommy."

* * *

**Haruhi**

_"Now you know I have to play mommy for some kids that aren't mine."_

I remembered Yuki saying those words when she was telling us about her family. _I guess the truth in those words didn't occur to me until now. _

Zenko. "What about Zenko? Kami said his mother was in prison. If you don't mind me asking, why is that?" I asked Kaori and Arisa.

They looked at each other uncomfortably before shrugging. "We're not positive what happened." They said at the same time.

"He told us about it once, but I didn't really believe him. Not that our story was much more believable. He told us that his dad was killed by the Yakuza because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time." One of them said.

"His mom's in prison because she was selling cocaine and she's a crack whore so they took Zenko away and sent him here because she's an unsuitable mother." The other added.

"Oh my God." Was all I could manage to say. I shook my head in disbelief. It was strange to think that the quiet, smart student who always sat in the back of class and made straight A's on an academic scholarship had a mother in prison. I didn't dwell on the thought for too long.

"What is Mako's story?" Honey-senpai asked. He really seemed to like the baby boy.

"He doesn't have one that's quite so dramatic, I hope?" Tamaki-senpai asked, trying not to let his discomfort show. Arisa and Kaori shook their heads.

"He came last summer as a newborn. His father was a fireman and died in a fire before Mako was born. His mother died in labor with him." Arisa explained, her blue eyes looking rather dull.

"We all try taking care of him but he connected with Yuki the best and she adores him. So it all worked out." Kaori shrugged, her green eyes solemn.

There was an agonizingly long, awkward pause where everyone stared at their feet or the ceiling, at each other but not meeting anyone's eyes. There was a lot of shuffling feet and downcast eyes until Kaori broke the silence, "So now that we've gone and made everything good an awkward, can someone help me with my English homework? I don't know why they make us take a second language, we live in Japan!"

"Doesn't Yuki speak English?" Mori-senpai asked.

All of the girls nodded. "She's the only reason I even _do _my English homework," Arisa smirked to herself. Everyone chuckled a bit.

And the night went on. Kyoya helped Kaori with her homework, Tamaki played Princess with Kami, Mori-senpai and Hikaru played with Yumi and her little plastic army. Honey-senpai kept himself and Mako entertained with stuffed animals. Kaoru and Arisa had a small argument about fashion, of all things. It was quickly resolved when Arisa threatened to hit Kaoru with a curling iron.

"You didn't out that in the box yet?" Kaori asked her twin sister. Arisa hugged the curler to her chest and shook her head. Kaori sighed. "You have too. You don't need a curling iron."

"But I _do_! I'm already giving up my straightener, I have to keep this one! Can't I just sell one of my kidneys? I have two! Or my blood or something?" Arisa pleaded. Her eyes started tearing up.

"Your straightener is not in the box." Kaori narrowed her eyes at her sister. She pulled a cardboard box from a cabinet under the kitchen island. Everyone gathered around to see what was inside. Two Mp3 players, three cell phones, a handheld game console, a clump of tangled jewelry, and a digital camera. No hair straightener.

"Why is this box filled with electronics?" Tamaki asked. All of the girls looked to each other. But before any of them could reply, Honey-senpai made a discovery.

"That's Yuki-mu's Mp3 player!" He shouted as he lifted it out of the box. He held it above his head so everyone could see it. It was definitely the music player we had become so accustomed to find lying around the club room. We had often seen Yuki with it in her pocket trying to inconspicuously listen to music while she hosted and failing when Kyoya and Tamaki would catch her.

Kaori broke our attention away from the Mp3 when she dumped a bundle of hair tools into the box; a straightener, a blow-dryer, an electric curler set, a nail dryer, and another bundle of jewelry. Arisa didn't just sit back and let this happen. She jumped onto her sister's back in a frenzy to save her stuff.

"NO! YOU CAN'T!" She screamed but Kaori threw her off. She sat on the floor and cried like a child. "It's like you're taking my kids!"

"Arisa! You're embarrassing yourself. Look, let me put this into perspective for you," Kaori knelt down by her sister, "Either you sell all the unnecessary hair stuff, or we can't buy food. Would you rather be pretty or die of hunger?"

"You all are selling this stuff for money to buy food?" I asked them.

They nodded, "Our caretakers, Natsumi and her son Kuzo, are alcoholics and usually spend all of our food money on booze. So we decided to sell all of our electronics and expensive things and use the money to buy food. Yuki opened up a bank account so we can hide the money from them."

I looked at the Host Club. The Host Club looked at me. We all looked at the family of orphans. The orphans looked at us. I saw an idea spark in Tamaki's eyes but surprisingly, he kept quiet. Arisa had accepted the fate of her beauty tools and tried to place them in the box as gracefully as possible. And to my surprise, the night went on as it had been. Homework, plastic soldiers, princesses, stuffed animals, and arguments. Arisa painted my nails despite all of my insisting she didn't. She tried not the let her disappointment show when she realized that they would have to dry naturally due to the lack of her electric nail dryer.

And despite all of the unsightly fighting, and all the bad news that had been thrust upon us, we still managed to have fun with each other. Babysitting was easier than I thought!

* * *

**AN: Hiyas! Allow me to, once again, apologize for not updating faster. I've started working at a zoo and I've been training every day for three weeks, so I've had little to no time to write! I'd love it if you guys could tell me what pairings you have in mind for this story! (I.E.: Host X Host, Host X OC, OC X OC, etc.) I'm curious to see what you all come up with! R&R, F&F, PM, and as always, thanks a million! ^w^ ~Yuki-mu **


	14. UPDATE

**UPDATE!**

**Hey guys, I know this story is dead now and has been for months. I got to the point where I had no desire to continue writing this story. I'm sorry, I know there were a few people who enjoyed reading this. The only problem? I was not one of them. **

I have big plans to re-write this story, so don't be too upset. So, if your interested, mark your calendars for January, 2014. That is when I will be re-posting this story. Yes, when I post the first chapter I will have songs up on Youtube to go along with the story like before. As of currently my YouTube page has been dead too...

Anyway, when I repost the new story I will be deleting this one.

The new story will be under the name: **The Irony of Yuki**

****The description will be as follows:

"Yuki means 'lucky' but that was never the case for Yuki Muruyama. So what do you get when you mix an unlucky girl, a prestigious high school, old friends, traumatizing memories, and one huge mistake to initiate it all? An experience that could very well shake the Host Club to the core. For better and for worse."

So thanks for putting up with my first attempt at a fanfiction. For those of you who liked it, I appreciate all of your wonderful reviews. I thank all of you who added me to your update and favorite lists, be it for this story or for me as an author. I really appreciate everything you all did and I hope you'll be just as supportive, if not more, of the new revision when it comes out!

Until then!

~Yuki-mu


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